56 Hours
by NanoBlade
Summary: Part 2 of Ollie's Story, taking place after the events of "The Bartender", with stories of the wedding weekend, and stories of what has been, and what will be. Rated T for language, drinking, and other mature subject matter. Now an AU. Rating may change.
1. Chapter 1: Leap of Fate

** A/N: Welcome readers to Part 2 of Ollie's Story. For those who haven't read my first part, The Bartender, stop reading and start that one. Now that we're all here, I got a few things to say before you start reading.**

** First, for those who saw the newest episode, How Your Mother Met Me, (who didn't like that one? One of my personal favorites) I know that the episode negated several things from Ollie's Story, but I'm trying my best to work my way around and with the episode to make this story as canonical as possible (google it for those who don't know the word.) Second, I'm starting a new thing for each chapter. Each chapter begins with a quote from something. Quotes are my favorite in everything, because they provide inspiration for me. Each chapter's quote may not always feature a quote from HIMYM, per-say, but it will have a quote that I find inspiring and which helped me wrote the chapter it's attached to. And with that in mind, Part 2 begins now.**

Chapter 1: Leap of Fate

"I gotta do what that guy couldn't; I gotta take the leap! Okay not a perfect metaphor because for me it's fall in

love and get married, but for him it's...death."

"Actually, that is a perfect metaphor."

Ted and Barney

"Pilot" 1x01 (2005)

* * *

May 25th 2013 10:00 PM

A crack of lighting lit up the sobbing sky as I walked through the dark road. I had changed back from my shirt and tie into my hoodie and jeans, but that didn't change the fact that I was soaking wet from head to toe.

My phone buzzed. I was getting a call from her.

"Hey." I said.

"Did you get a ride?"

"No. I'm stuck having to wait until morning for my ride."

"It's not too late to try to catch the train."

"I'm not gonna try to run there and hope that I don't miss it. My chances are slim"

"Ollie, it's better than having to wait. Come with me."

"I can't call a cab, or take the train when my wallet has been swooped up with what Robin's taking among the wedding gifts. She'll give it back to me when I get home."

"Ok. Just call me if you make it back to the city."

As I hung up, I felt hot salty water drip down from my eyes. I had failed both her and Ted. And now for all I knew, fate would never happen like I wanted it to. I had failed them...

* * *

59 hours earlier...

"Holding steady at thirty knots, with an altitude of 15,000 feet." Yelled Keith. "Arrow, you are clear for the drop zone! GO, GO, GO!"

I unhooked the cords on the crate, and kicked it hard. It rolled out the door, and out of the plane.

"MAY THE FORCE BE WITH ME!" I screamed. "GERONIMO!" I leapt out the plane, and saw Long Island below me after falling through a snow white cloud. I rolled onto my back to see the plane zoom away.

* * *

If you're just starting to read my story from this point, then it might be best for you to start at part 1; not a lot of this will make sense if you don't. But if you're still here, then welcome. Just so we're clear, my name isn't Arrow. My real name is Ollie Blake. It's short for Oliver. If you're confused here's what you need to know, or maybe just forgot.

I work as a bartender in New York City's Upper West Side, but I originally came from Port Angeles in Washington State. Estranged from my family almost 10 years ago, I travelled to New York with the dream of building and owning my own bar in the Big Apple. My dad wanted me to be a Wall Street broker instead. If you really want a good reason as to why I didn't belong on Wall Street, then I'll just say that my kind of character is the exact opposite of Leonardo DiCaprio in The Wolf of Wall Street, and my taste in clothes says "every day is casual Friday." So I couldn't see myself in a suit making money like those assholes I studied in Econ at Columbia. I hated learning it, and after getting my diploma, I left at once as fast as possible.

But I don't think that those years at Columbia were a total waste. I ended up meeting my now best friend, Juno through it. Sweet, funny, and pretty, we hit it off after we met during one of my shifts at the bar. It wasn't my best night to meet new people because I was at a new level of drunk, but despite this, we've been like brother and sister ever since then. I even made friends with her roommate, Cindy not long before we both met.

Things seemed to be slow in my life at that point, but then in 2005, I met someone that threw a wrench in my life forever. His name was Ted Mosby, and he crashed a party I was at, drunker than I had ever seen before on any person. Right when I least expected it, he stole a pineapple from the party, and I didn't see him again for several years. For five years I saw him on 3 other occasions which seemed like coincidences. Then I became a bartender at Maclaren's Pub, the one which him and his friends frequently went to. I knew it couldn't be a coincidence that I had been hired at this bar that he went to. Because I always believe that coincidences don't exist, and everything happens for a reason.

After meeting and befriending each of them, I had been a bartender there for 2 and a half years, and Barney then asked for something that changed everything. Earlier that year he had realized that he was meant to marry Robin and spend the rest of his life with her. He enlisted my help, and I agreed, doing everything I could. It worked, and to thank me, Barney gave me the job of bartending at the wedding. But I realized that someone didn't want the wedding to even happen. Ted was upset that the recurring feelings for Robin throughout his life kept kicking his ass, and would be going to this wedding as a single man. But I'll get to more on that later.

A few weeks ago, I was asked by Barney to get to the wedding by skydiving with a massive crate of drinks. It took a bit of bribery, but I agreed to do it. That's where I left you, and that's where we continue the story.

* * *

Just as I went through a cloud, I came out sopping wet. That was something I hadn't expected, but I just considered myself lucky that my duffle bag and my guitar were safe in the drinks crate. Plus I expected the wind to dry me off at least when I got to the ground.

Then I remembered something. Earlier that day, before I left, I found an eagle feather. A large white one, longer than the length of my wrist to my finger tips. It had fallen right into my hand, and when it did, I had a certain feeling. A feeling that fate was on my side for this weekend.

As I looked at the feather, I wondered if fate took requests. Only one way to find out.

"Hey! If fate is listening, or whatever, I have a request. My friends are getting married this weekend, and another pair of them are meeting. I've done so much, so I was wondering if I had earned something?"

I'm not a seer, or an enlightened one, but sometimes fate has spoken to me. There was a good story involving my first brush with fate. But I'll get to that. I couldn't hear anything other that the howling wind past my ears as I fell closer to Farhampton, but I could feel like fate was saying "yes."

I grinned. "My friends have all found their love, or they will within a few days. I know I'll sound like a dick when I say this, but what about me? Is there a future for me in that area?"

"Maybe."

"I'm gonna throw this feather. I want you to send it to whoever it is that I'm supposed to spend my life with. Please?"

No response. Not even a murmur. I guess fate was uncertain about that. Only one way to find out.

I clutched the feather with a gentle grip, so not as to damage the fibers on it, and I hurled it with all my might. It soon fluttered out of view leaving me to focus on the real reason I was here.

I looked down towards the crate. It was a good ten feet below me. I leaned forwards until I was upside down in a dive position, and catching up fast to the crate. I was then level with it, after a bit of difficulty.

"ARROW! COME IN!" I suddenly heard. That was Barney, who I was in radio contact with at the time. He sounded scared.

"I'm here, Barnacle!"

"Ollie! Thank god! I thought I lost contact with you. You didn't respond for the last 30 seconds."

"Sorry, bro. Zoned out. What is it?

"You'll need to find a giant red ring to deploy the parachute. Can you find it?"

I looked over to the crate's side, and found it. I checked my altimeter, telling me that it was time to pull the cord.

"I got it."

"That's the crate's parachute. Make sure you're off to the side, then yank the ring off when you're ready to deploy!"

I did as I was told, and pulled the ring off the crate. The parachute shot out and opened up. I then grabbed my carabiner and hooked my line onto the crate. The parachute I was provided was only there as a last resort in the event the crate's chute didn't work. If the crate's worked, then the line would keep me with the crate, and slow me down as well.

As the crate slowed down to the falling equivalent of walking, I saw the drop zone indicators, and instantly laughed. Barney had put them together to form a giant hand so it would be like I was part of the biggest of fives. Many people were on the fingertips, but there were a few also on the palm. They all looked like ants.

"We see you, Ollie. Coming in hot."

I landed with a great thud. A blonde man in a suit, and a brunette woman in a jacket were standing right at the crate's position. The man handed me a megaphone, and I called through it.

"LADIES AND GENTLEMAN! THE DRINKS HAVE ARRIVED!"

There were a few cheers and a bit of applause.

Barney grinned. "Nice seeing you, Ollie."

"Yeah, you too, lovebirds. What's on the agenda today?"

"Got a poker game this afternoon if you're up for it. All my best friends will be there." Said Barney.

"You mean it, dude?"

"You've earned it, bro."

I then paused. Had I really? I hadn't been the nicest person in the world to Barney lately. There had been a bit of bad blood between us lately, and maybe that was my fault a bit. But if Barney said that I had earned that spot, then I should at least show him that I had.

Robin handed me a tall boy can of beer. Seemed like just the thing I needed after jumping from a plane. We walked from the field to the porch and into the inn.

"You have no idea what's happened so far." Said Barney.

* * *

I hate using Internet acronyms. They're tacky, childish, and it shows that people don't give a shit about speaking proper English. But I will say that when Barney and Robin gave me a short recap of what happened on the way there, I was rofling.

"Dude, that's not funny." Groaned Barney. "We were related for 20 minutes."

"Yeah Ollie. How is this funny?" Said Robin

I snorted as I sat back upright. "I'm sorry. I couldn't really help it. I mean, would being related really be that bad? You guys aren't gonna have kids, so at least you won't have an incest...thing like Joffery Lannister."

Barney looked at me angrily. Then I remembered his stupid perspective on movie characters. Bad guys were heroes and good guys were pussies in his book. Whatever.

"Not that Joffery is a bad guy." I continued. "But like I was saying, would it really be that bad?"

"Are you even listening to yourself, Ollie? Yes it would be bad!" Said Robin.

"Here's the worst that could happen: your kid has some kind of birth defect. But since you're not having kids, that's fine. The way I see it, as long as you love each other, that's all that matters."

Barney was about to retort, but then stopped.

"Uh huh. You see my point?" I said. "As long as you love each other, then marriage with you two, within family or not, is all that matters."

I got up with my beer and headed out. As I started out to the lobby, I bumped into an African American man with a sole patch.

"Is Barney Stinson in there?" He asked.

"Uh, yeah. I'm Oliver Blake. Who are you?"

"James Stinson, Ollie." He said. He shook my hand. "Barney's told me a lot about you. The best bartender at Maclaren's, he calls you."

Okay, now I felt really guilty about the recent events with Barney. I owed that guy an apology.

"Does he really?" I asked.

"When you give free drinks and advice to guys like that, there's bound to be some form of favoritism among bartenders. Nice to finally meet you. Excuse me." He headed into the restaurant while I walked out onto the porch. I looked out onto the water.

"You didn't tell me that you were literally 'dropping in'." Said a voice.

I turned. A petite brunette with her bag, a bass guitar, and a canary yellow umbrella stood waiting for me. Juno. Of course, that wasn't her real name, but she refused to say what her real name was.

"Well, puns aren't what I usually do, but I couldn't resist. How was the ride over?"

Juno pointed at her wrist. A few marks were on it. At first I thought it was a regular scratch, but then I realized that those were bite marks.

"Aw, shit." I said. "Let's get you cleaned up."

* * *

I took Juno over to a table on the patio, overlooking the water. I managed to get some rubbing alcohol from Linus. Apparently all the other bartenders carried that there. Now I knew what Maclaren's needed.

"I don't need to tell you that this will sting." I said.

"I can take it." She replied.

I dipped the rag in alchohol and pressed it closely on the wound. Needless to say, Juno did wince from that. But I think a lot of people usually do.

"What are you doing here, J? I thought you had a place to stay."

"Yeah, but I thought I'd head over to the hotel just so I could find you first."

"Can't let your big brother of your sight, eh?"

It was a joke of ours. We always saw ourselves as a sort of big brother/younger sister duo.

"Not today." She replied.

"So who thought that they were a shark and decided to take a good chomp?" I asked.

Juno smirked. "It's funny. This crazy redhead. Kept talking about her baby being in Minnesota. Made friends with her on the train over Sumbitches."

I laughed. I guess fate decided that Juno wouldn't just meet Ted. She'd meet the whole gang as well.

"What's so funny?" She asked.

"You just met the Maid of Honor." I replied.

"No shit? Well then, I think the bride has an interesting taste in friends."

"Oh, you have no idea." I grinned.

* * *

Once I got Juno bandaged up, we both headed down to the water. One thing I learned about Juno over these past 10 years of knowing her is that she loves to skip rocks. Always does when there's a beach.

"One day, I'm gonna teach my kids how to skip rocks like this." She said as she flung a rock out onto the water. It skipped seven times.

"Really? Lemme see if I got this." I chucked the rock out, and it fell right in with a kerplunk.

"Noob." Laughed Juno.

"Says the one who can never win an argument." I shot back.

"You make some good points." Juno replied. "So who's the redhead? Didn't she say her name is Lily?"

"That's the one. Lily Aldrin is her name. She's an art consultant for George Van Smoot. Funny story: that guy used to be married to one Zoey Pierson."

"You kidding me?" Said Juno.

"Hell no."

* * *

Not too long after I started working at Maclaren's, I made enemies with Zoey Pierson, a local protestor, I guess you'd call her. Ted was hired by Goliath National Bank to design a new headquarters for them, but in the process of building it, they would tear down a shithole building called the Arcadian. It was defended by an army of deluded New Yorkers, and leading the charge was Zoey Pierson. I sided with Ted on the fight, because I heard the guy had a rough time in the past few years, and needed something to make things better. Juno and I made efforts to make Zoey look bad by spraying the Arcadian in graffiti, disfiguring the whole thing room by room. GNB met us after the building was torn down and thanked us for our help. They were convinced that without the spray paint, the building would have been nice enough to be declared a landmark.

* * *

Juno seemed really interested in Lily I proceeded to tell Juno all about her and how I knew her for the past few years, when she suddenly interrupted me.

"I lied."

"What?"

"I never broke up with Louis."


	2. Chapter 2: Nameless Brunette

Chapter 2: Nameless Brunette

"OK, yes it's a mistake. I know it's a mistake, but there are certain things in life where you know it's a mistake but you don't really know it's a mistake because the only way to really know it's a mistake is to make the mistake and look back and say 'yep, that was a mistake.' So really, the bigger mistake would be to not make the mistake, because then you'd go your whole life not knowing if something is a mistake or not. And dammit, I've made no mistakes! I've done all of this; my life, my relationship, my career, mistake-free. Does any of this make sense to you?"

"I don't know. You said 'mistake' a lot."

Lily and Ted

"Milk" 1x21 (2006)

* * *

As I would soon learn this weekend, Juno had kept a lot of things from me. A former boyfriend, her name of all things, and that she was staying with her asshole boyfriend, Louis.

A newly graduated Wall Street broker, Louis was practically the exact opposite of who I was. And the night I met him, he threatened me to stay away from Juno because he saw me as an obstacle to becoming closer with her. But the truth was that they didn't connect. It wasn't meant to be. Yet no matter how much I protested, Juno refused to listen.

* * *

"So you keep your name away from me, and then the fact that your shithead boyfriend is actually letting you stay at his beach house out here. Is there anything I know about you that's true?! Why did you lie to me?!"

"Ollie, this is why I didn't tell you. I don't need a guy like you trying to protect me from every douche in New York."

"Not everyone in New York is a douche!" I exclaimed. This was my chance to talk about Ted. "I have a friend from the bar who'd be perfect for you!"

"I'm not gonna hear it, Ollie. Until I see the missing piece I'm looking for in this relationship with Louis, you don't get to say shit about us."

"So what was the lie you told me? That he cheated on you?"

"Yeah. It was a test of how much you hate him. You clearly can't stand to be near him judging by the list of words you used to describe him."

"Because he threatened me!" I cried. "He was going to break something on me if I didn't leave you alone and never see you again. But for 10 years it's been you and me as best friends through thick and thin."

"You forget that Kelly's also my best friend." She said.

I groaned. I sat down on the ground, and Juno sat by me. Kelly and I were like Marshall and Barney for "Ted's best friend". But I was considered Juno's best "guy friend", and Kelly her best "girl friend".

"Louis isn't the right guy for you, J. I've been there for you for years, and as soon as he walked in, he tried to kick me out. You don't belong with him."

"I know."

"Then why don't you leave him?"

"He's been so great to me. After...some things happened I realized that I may never win that lottery again."

"J, you know I am Fate's number 1 fan, right? So let me be the first to say that this guy isn't the winner. He's the one of many million dud tickets."

"Yeah he is, but I can't just dump him."

"Signs." I replied. "Look for the sign that I see. The one that says you don't belong together. When that happens, find me."

Juno sighed. We didn't speak as we heard the waves crashing against the shoreline.

"Have you ever tried to connect with Kelly?" She asked.

I smirked a bit. "What would we talk about, J? Other than you we don't have much in common. I tried once, but she said that you've kept others secrets from me. Someone who you never mentioned."

Juno froze. "Did you get a name from her?"

I looked back at Juno in surprise. "No. Why? Was I supposed to?"

Juno waved it off. "You never know about Kelly. I just want to see my friends get along."

"I'll try, J."

Then I saw Juno reach into her bag. She pulled out a small Tupperware container with one thing in it left.

"Saved the last Sumbitch for you, bro."

* * *

Maybe you've heard about Juno's Sumbitches. They were a cookie she invented that I helped name. It was while we were fighting Zoey that one day we discusses plans over cookies that Juno had to make for a local bake sale.

"Did you come up with a name for these?" I asked. I grabbed one from the plate.

"Not really sure. Thinking Juno's Cookies."

I waved that off. "Nah, that's unoriginal shit." I took a bite of the cookie.

There's a huge downside to Juno's Sumbitches that I was the first to find out: once you try one, there's no going back. You'll keep eating as much as you can. I constantly think Juno threw a certain plant in there to give me the need to eat them, but it didn't matter. It's still worth it. They should've been on Breaking Bad, because they are addicting as hell.

"SUMBITCH!l I yelled, my face full of cookie.

Juno jumped. "What is it? Did I burn them? I'm sorry! I can try again."

I swallowed it, and then grabbed three more. "No! It's that these sumbitches kick ass!"

"Sumbitches, huh?" Said Juno. "Then I guess we found their name."

We both laughed. "Hell yeah."

* * *

"Ollie, I know you're my brother, but if you're hoping for my real name, you still have to wait for it."

"Of course. You still want to have your fun until it's time. But as your best friend, I think it's time I officially introduce you to Lily."

And on that note, we started back up to the hotel.

"So you're not mad about my nickname?"

"J, how can I be mad? You're just as quirky and awesome as I remember you. Granted I know that there are still some things you're not telling me, but I hope I'll at least have been told those things when the time is right. Don't hold them out on me."

"You're right, Ollie. You'll be the first to know."

We headed back inside, and as fate would have it, I found Lily instantly.

"Lily! Hey, listen. There's someone who I must introduce you to."

"Marshall's missed his flight...Hey! It's you!"

I saw Juno run over and give Lily a hug.

"How do you know Ollie?" Asked Lily.

"What do most guys say? He's my 'brother from another mother'!"

"Hardy har har." I replied. "Juno and I have known each other for almost 10 years. Although that's just her nickname."

"So why are you here?"

"Ollie and I are in the band!"

"So you're bartending, and in the band?" Said Lily.

"Why don't we just sit down and discuss this over drinks."

"I already got mine." Lily pointed to hers. "Bought something called the 'Kennedy Package'."

* * *

Once we were settled in the bar, Lily gave us the gist on what the heck was going on. Marshall missed his flight because he and some other traveller got into a fight. Now he was driving from Minnesota, but wouldn't be back until late tomorrow night.

"Sounds rough." Said Juno. "You'll be okay?"

"Now that I've met another person who cares, I think I'll be just fine."

I checked the time. 2 PM.

Juno's phone then buzzed. She checked the text.

"Shit..." She muttered. "It's Satan. He wants my soul."

That was Darren. He was supposed to be a part-leader of our band, but he took over the band in the last year or so. Before Juno lost complete control of the band, she got me into it as the band's lead guitarist. The last thing that Darren didn't want in the band before he took leadership was me, the other thorn in his side.

"Right then." I replied. "I'll see you later."

Juno got up and left as I headed over to the bar. Now was the time to fix the multitasking problem.

"What's this about both being in the band, and bartending?" Asked Lily.

"It wasn't an intention of mine for the to happen. But it'll be hard to figure out."

"Talk to Linus if it's a problem. He'll find a solution." Said Lily.

"What'll it be, Ollie?" Asked Linus as I walked up.

"Possibly helping me with my jobs at the wedding. I'm bartending and playing lead guitar for the band. You got any way of helping?"

"Absolutely. I heard that the band doesn't go on until after the bride and groom come out for the first dance. Until then, you and I can handle the drinks, then go out and show them how awesome the band is."

"Hey thank you, Linus." I said, high-fiving him. "I owe you one."

"Call it a favor and that we're even. It's no big deal."

"You got it. Can I get a rum and Coke?"

"Hey, Ollie. When did you 'drop in'?"

I turned to see a guy with spiky black hair and a grey sweater standing over a few feet away. That was Ted Mosby, one of the reasons I was here to make sure destiny took care of things.

"About an hour ago." I said. "Although it was a total 'drag' once I opened my parachute."

Ted laughed a bit, then sat down. "Can I run something past you?"

I took a sip of my drink. "Sure."

Ted produced a slip of paper from his pocket and put it on the bar table. I unfolded it to see a list of things. Then I realized it was a list of things to do before he left New York.

"You're really going through with this?"

"Things have really gone to shit for me. There's no future with me even being around Robin after this wedding. With Marshall and Lily gone, I realize I need a fresh start."

"What happened, man?"

Ted then explained something that was news to me. 3 weeks ago, Robin revealed that she had buried her "something old" in Central Park. A locket that belonged to her grandma from Manitoba. She couldn't find it after digging up, and ended up holding Ted's hand while crying.

"Dude, I agree that the hand holding thing was weird, but I don't think it's enough to leave New York. Don't do this just yet."

"Ollie, you said it yourself that there's only a grim future between me and Robin. What changed your mind about me leaving?"

Fate. Fate made me realize that Ted shouldn't leave New York. I decided I needed a metaphor.

"Ted, are you familiar how a tether ball works?"

Ted looked at me funny, then nodded.

"I'm gonna tell you something I call 'Destiny's Tether'. It's my own theory, and here's how it works. A tether ball can only go as long away from the pole as the rope allows it. You'll try to stray from the path that fate has led you on, but always something will come that will bring you back on course."

Ted nodded. "Your point?"

"If you really think that you'll leave New York, great. Just know that you're coming back because of the huge tether you're hooked to. Make life easier for yourself and find something to give you a reason to keep you here. Otherwise that rope's gonna snag you like a branch trap from those old cartoons where the guy hangs upside down with the rope on his leg."

"When I find the reason to stay here, then you can slap me." Scoffed Ted.

I jumped. I wanted to make sure that Ted was serious. "A slap bet?"

Ted shrugged. "I bet you one slap that I will find the 'One' for me in Chicago."

"You're on, T-Dog. I bet you'll find her before you leave New York."

Now I knew that I needed to introduce Ted to Juno. Then I could smack him in the face as hard as I could.

Barney then ran into the bar area. "God! No matter how affectionate those old relatives are, it's still suffocating! They're literally like walkers in the Walking Dead."

Now was my chance. "Hey, Barney. Can we talk?"

Barney nodded. "Sure thing, Ollie. Out on the deck?"

We both headed out and looked at the water.

"Look at that. This seems like the prefect place for the two of you to get married."

"What's wrong, Ollie?" Said Barney.

"Oh! Straight to the point, eh? Cool." I sighed. "I think I owe you an apology, Barney."

He looked puzzled. "What for?"

"The way I've said things to you for the past few months. I haven't been the nicest guy in the world to you, and yet you're letting me play in the poker game later. Is it a guilt trip? Because I feel guilty without you inviting me."

Barney smirked. "Maybe. But I get it, Ollie. In a way, you were right. The Playbook should have been destroyed months before it actually was. And I agree that while it was insane to see Liddy, Robin is the only one I should see that way. But for the shit that you've given me for all the other things, know that all is forgiven. You're my bro, and you're awesome. Let's high five and call things even."

We did, just as Ted headed out onto the deck with a bottle of heaven in his hand: a 30 year Glen Mckenna.

"No way!" I gasped. "I've never had that bottle of sweet heaven!"

Barney scowled at Ted. "I saw you and Robin at the carousel."

Ted suddenly let go of the bottle.

"NOOOOO!" I cried. I tried to slide to catch it, but it was too late. It broke with a loud crack.


	3. Chapter 3: Raise The Stakes

**A/N: With yesterday's Super Bowl victory for the Seahawks, I found that it would make a great setting for a future chapter since Ollie is a proud native of the Evergreen State. You won't see that chapter for a while, but I'm already writing it, and it's good. As well, to answer Chris, last week's episode gave me quite a bit to work with, indeed. So with the info from last week, I'll have stuff to work through to make the story more accurate. Thanks.**

Chapter 3: Raise the Stakes

"Quite a game, poker. Ask anyone on the street, and they'll call it a game of chance. Or talk to Sam, and he'll say it's about bluffing. But it's not, is it? No. It's about keeping you playing until the house collects."

Hoyt Volker, Far Cry 3 (2012)

* * *

As I tried to ring out the scotch from my shirt, I was given the explanation of what the heck Barney was talking about.

A week ago, while Robin dug for the locket she had buried, Barney was in the middle of bonding with Robin Sr. over laser tag. He got a call from Robin to help, but he didn't understand Robin's language: "Nah, it's stupid" means "help me, it's important."

Ted understood, and went to help her. This I knew already, but what none of us knew was that Barney was watching from a distance. Quite the shocker.

"Whatup?!" Said Barney.

"Nothing up! Everything is down! You have nothing to worry about!"

Barney looked like he would loose his head, but then said "Ok, cool. You're my best man and I trust you."

Ted then started crying, along with me.

"Oh, come on. You both don't need to cry about it."

"That was a 600$ bottle of scotch." Sobbed Ted.

It took us 10 whole minutes for all three of us to pull ourselves together. I think that as a bartender who enjoys his drinks like a 6 year old enjoys his candy, I cried really hard over that. Even though not one penny of mine went towards it.

* * *

Before we headed in, I stopped Barney.

"It's not cool, is it?" I asked. "Him holding Robin's hand like that?"

"C'mon, Blake. You really think I could let this slide for Ted? Nothing like that is cool."

"I agree it's weird, but I think you should let this one go. The guy's going through a bit of a rough patch, and getting even is just petty. I'm not siding with him in this conflict, but I'm saying that you shouldn't do this."

Barney didn't listen to me on that front. He made Ted do exhausting chores for him, clearly showing the grudge he was carrying. I was a bit mad, but I couldn't blame Barney, either. I probably would do that if that was my own future wife. Although when I headed up for the poker game, and found out Billy Zabka had replaced Ted as the best man, I couldn't help but think Barney may have taken it a bit far. I decided not to say anything for the sake of the bridge I just fixed.

"Buy in is 300$, and blinds start at 40/60. One dollar in this game is equal to 50 cents in real money. Let's begin." Said Billy.

As a bartender, I have hosted many poker games in the few bars I've worked in. I remember having a few games at Maclaren's over the years, but this game was super intense. Far more intense than any games that I played before; I could almost feel the extreme tension in the air.

Things got interesting when Ted got his position of best man given back, and then I heard Billy threaten Ted with "I'm coming for you, Mosby."

That guy really did live up to his role in the Karate Kid as a bit of a jackass.

* * *

Later in the game I was dealt a pair of Jacks.

"Calling." Said Robin.

It was my turn. I put on my game face.

"How about sweetening the pot?" I said. I threw in 60, then raised it to 100.

The others murmured as Billy folded, along with Ranjit.

"Hey, Ollie." Said James. "What's a guy in the start of his thirties supporting marriage? He should still be out there, banging chicks left and right. Not hanging around loser married couples"

I frowned. "Because marriage is the sign that you got life figured out, like these two awesome people right here." I nodded to Robin and Barney. "I see you couldn't live up to that commitment. What happened? Marriage weighed you *down* so much you couldn't get it *up*?"

Ouch! He felt that one. The others around the table "oooed" in astonishment. James scowled as he prepared to bet. I think I had just made this game personal.

"I think that once I get back out there, I'll get someone as white as marshmallow bluff, first. Raise you to 170."

I had picked up on this. The Stinsons said bluff every time they were bluffing. They thought it worked, but I had seen people with much less obvious strategies, like always betting all in when they got shitty cards. Me? I always bet 400 straight up if I was bluffing. But I rarely bluffed at all.

"Barney, don't get married. I keep telling you that you shouldn't let marriage change you, like Tom tried to. Now this guy right here," he pointed to me. "He's a lost cause."

Barney folded, and then the play went over to Robin.

"What's the bride's move?" Said Billy.

She looked over at me, then nodded. "I fold."

I understood what she meant. She wanted me to take this round.

"I call. You wanna dance, bro? Okay. Let's dance, Stinson." I said.

Billy laid out the flop. Ace of Spades, 3 of Diamonds, and Jack of Clubs. The three of a kind could have been enough to take James down, but I didn't want to scare him off.

"I check." I tapped my hand onto the table.

James grinned. "I bet you don't know anything about one night stands. FYI: The handbluffs are the best to use. Shame Tom didn't like them. 700."

This guy was just too easy to beat. "I call you." I replied. "I happen to think the married life isn't half bad." I retorted.

The turn came up. A dud, in the form of a seven. Still, I could make this interesting, and put James where I wanted him. Try to throw him off.

"Is there a bakery nearby? I got a hankering for some cream bluffs. 300."

James sniggered. "You are no bartender, Blake. If you were, then you'd know how to really play poker, because your game is off. I call you."

Shit... He didn't say bluff. Did he need that seven? Nah. I had nothing to worry about. So why was I sweating?

"And now the river." Said Billy. He turned up the last card. Ace of Hearts.

"Hah! Ace of hearts! That's what you both win this weekend!" I called out to Barney and Robin. "You both have each other's ace of hearts."

Robin smiled both at that statement, and in understanding that I beat James. I had a full house.

"Are you gonna fold, or not noob? I want that money." Said James.

"Oh really? Well then, let's play, sole patch... I'll raise you to 500."

James furrowed his brow, looking at his cards. "You sure are a tough guy to beat. I call you."

"Let's see them." Said Billy.

James flipped over a pair of sevens. He too had a full house with those aces, but it wasn't enough.

"And I believe I just bluffed your ass!" I laughed, flipping over my cards.

Robin gave me the thumbs up as I piled the chips to my side. James shook his head in suppressed anger.

* * *

Chips kept getting passed left and right. And in between all the hands and bluffs made by the brothers, James kept saying shit about the wedding. Eventually I had enough.

"So if a guy like you thinks that marriage sucks, then why the fuck are you still wearing your wedding ring? Nostalgic much?"

"What, this thing? It attracts as much gay guys as I want. Only thing that works as good is saying hi to them. And all the apps on my phone. People, it is a great time to be gay!"

I had to agree with that statement a bit. But that was all I agreed with James in that weekend. At least not until the next day.

Robin stared over at James. "But you can take it off anytime you want?"

"Anytime I want, Scherbatsky."

"All right then. I go all in, and I raise you my engagement ring."

Now, while I admit I was tempted to partake in this hand with the chance of winning two precious rings, I decided that Robin should have this one and square off with James.

"I fold. Take 'em down, Robin."

James shrugged. "Fine. It's just a ring." And he threw it into the pot.

Robin went out with three Jacks, over James' high card.

"Excuse me. I'm gonna go hit the gym." He said, and got up.

"You handled that well, Robin." I said.

"You didn't do too bad yourself, Blake."

"Will you both stop it?!" Said Barney. "Robin, give James the ring back."

"Barney, relax." I said. "James didn't give a shit about the ring, and Robin won it fair and square. There is nothing he can do-"

James then stormed in, and he wasn't alone. When I saw the look in her eyes, I immediately recognized her as the mother of awesome, Loretta Stinson. But she wasn't happy to see one of her son's loyal disciples.

"What did you two do to my boy?!" She snarled.

"Correction." I said. "There's nothing that James can do except cry like a little bitch to his mommy."

* * *

"You guys have done it now. You wound James up so much that now he wants his ring back. Give the ring back to him, Robin. And Ollie, give his money back."

"Uh, no." Said Robin.

"I'd rather go sober for seven years, Barney. I won that money fair and square. If you got a problem with that, then that's too damn bad. In poker you have to either win back your money, or cash out. There is no 'giving back money' in this game. And also, why are you taking James' side, Barney? Robin's gonna be your wife in less than 48 hours."

"Thanks, Ollie. I'll take it from here." They both got up and left, leaving me alone against the Stinsons.

* * *

Loretta joined in, with the obvious intention to destroy me and Robin in the game. I decided to cash out while I had the chance.

"This is getting old. I'm cashing out."

"I'm sorry, are you backing out?" Said Loretta. "You too scared to play a real hand, boy? You beat my son and then you back away like a coward." She laughed. "Some poker player you are."

"You want me to keep playing, Grandma? Should we raise the stakes?!" I snapped. "Fine."

It was Lily's turn to deal. She stared at me with a look of fear as she started the cards.

What the gang never realized was that poker is one of my games. And it really gets me in the zone. James had lost a huge chunk of his money with that hand with me, but Loretta's taunting made me have one goal: knock them both out. I'll gladly side with Barney, but his brother had another thing coming when he called me a "lost cause".

The hands went by in a blur, with me sitting out while Loretta taunted me. Eventually I got the hand that was calling for me.

I checked my hand. 7 King spades. An okay hand, but I felt this one. Depending on the flop, I'd sit out, or take down mother and son in one shot.

"Calling." I said.

Billy checked his hand, then followed the call.

Ranjit, it looked like, wasn't listening. Billy had to tap him on the shoulder before he called.

James checked his hand, and his chips. His level of money had to be less than 500 from what I had seen when we faced off. I hope he had some kind of sense to sit out.

"Raising." He said.

He didn't say bluff, but I could tell that this guy sucked at poker. If it was me, this would've been the hand that I sat out on.

It went over to Loretta. James looked to be pretty bad at poker, but Loretta was a hard one to read. I couldn't tell what her skills measured up to.

"I call." She sneered.

The rest of us followed, and the flop came out. 8, 5 spades and 9 of diamonds. I had a potential flush coming up. I just needed to see how Loretta would go up against me.

Most of us checked until the play came to her. She raised it to 200. She wasn't hiding what cards she had. Clearly she already flopped a straight, which meant I needed a spade.

Barney, Robin, Lily, Billy, and Ranjit folded. It was down to me against the brown cue ball and his mom.

"I wanna raise the stakes." Said Robin.

Loretta and James looked over with interest.

Robin engaged with a quick telepathic conversation that I understood.

"Ollie, will you agree to these terms?"

"As long as it ends with me winning, hell yeah Robin."

"I want that blouse." She said out loud. "Ollie beats you, he wins the pot, and I get the blouse. You lose, and you get all the money he won from James."

"So strip poker?" Said Loretta.

"What's the matter, Grandma? Much rather play bridge with your knitting club friends right before the early bird special?" I taunted.

"I accept those terms." She sneered.

Lily dealt out the next card. 3 of clubs. Nothing new.

"Let's play." I replied. "Because I'm all in."

"I fold." Replied James.

"Smart move, Stinson." I replied. "Let's see if your mom know's when it's the right decision to back the hell-"

"I call."

"-off..." I made it sound like I was pissed, but this was what I was counting on. I now had Loretta where I needed her.

"Flip them over, you guys." Said Lily.

I did, showing my 7 and King Spades. Loretta indeed had 6, 7 and a straight with her whole cards.

"Hah! You thought wrong, 'Ollie'!" She said mockingly.

"I wouldn't be so sure about that, Ms. Stinson. Because I believe..."

Lily flipped over the river.

"I have the right Ace in the hole!"

* * *

I had almost 2,000 dollars with that last hand, and cashed out with Loretta grumbling as she also handed Robin her blouse. Later she confronted me in the lobby to give it back to her.

"I'm sorry, Ms. Stinson. I think I need to explain to you the rules of poker. I won that hand, and cashed it in. Therefore, that money is all mine. All in total to $1,975 of that pot in real money."

"Ok, buster. You wanna play this way? You wanna go there?"

"Uh, yeah. I wanna go there. I won that hand. Just try to get it back from me, woman."

"I will, buddy. But I'll let you enjoy it, first. Then you'll wish you had given it back to me and my son."

Robin then walked down the stairs to the lobby as Loretta walked off to the bar.

"She-devil giving you shit?" She asked.

"Something like that. She wants me to give back my money to them. I mean, you may have given up the ring back to James, but I'm keeping the money. Where did these guys learn to play poker?"

"I know. It's insane. Anyways, I'll see you later. Gotta help set up for the dinner tonight."

"Catch you later, Robin."

I headed out the porch and back onto the beach. As I sat down in the sand, my phone rang. It was Juno.

"What's going on?"

"Check the link I sent you."

I did, and I found something that made me shutter. They were two local classified ads. One said "Bass Player Wanted." The other said "Guitarist Needed."

"Darren's firing us any day now." I realized. "But why does mine say 'needed' instead of 'wanted'?"

"Read it." Said Juno.

I did, and I now wanted to strangle Darren even more for what he had done. This is what it said.

"I run a local event band that has been going on for quite a few years now. Recently we hired a new guitarist, but he's too awful to even hit a single note in 'Smoke On The Water'. I desperately need a guitarist who has some idea of what the hell he's doing, and can actually get a few girls going. If you live up past this pathetic douche's so called 'skills', email the address provided."

"Don't bother clicking on mine. It's no improvement." Said Juno.

"What are we going to do?"

"We can't give Darren the satisfaction of firing us, Ollie. When this gig is over, we both quit."

"Agreed. I'd rather see Darren smile that we ran away than smile that he beat us."

"How's the wedding prep going?"

"Well, I beat the groom's bitchy mother and brother to a few rounds of poker, and now they want their money back."

"Don't they understand poker?"

"That's what I said! Only good thing I think came from this day was the feather."

"Feather?"

I then explained to Juno the feather landing in my hands and me letting it go when I jumped out the plane.

"Oh, that is so sweet, Ollie. You have a hope for love." she sighed a bit. "You really think that it'll land where the 'One' for you is?"

"If she's on Long Island, yes. But fate didn't say anything."

"Plus, you do know there's a chance it fell into the water."

I froze. Juno was right. There was a slight chance that the feather could have ended up in the water and not where I wanted it to land. If that was the case, then I guess it meant the ocean was now my bitch.

"Sorry, Ollie. I didn't meant to spook you."

"It's fine. It's just a feather."

It wasn't just a feather. It was my chance to find the thing that Marshall and Lily found. What Barney and Robin were finding. What I knew Ted and Juno would see any day now. That feather may have been my chance to find the One for me if I ever met her after the feather. I don't know why dropping a feather meant I'd meet her. I guess I thought that I'd run into her in the town the next day. But it didn't happen. I was positive that if I didn't meet the One for me, the feather had ended up in the water.


	4. Chapter 4: Bad Luck Blondes

Chapter 4: Bad Luck Blondes

"Choose wisely, for while the true Grail will bring you life, the false Grail will take it from you."

The Knight,

Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989)

* * *

I don't know what it was that went on in Ted's life, but I saw that almost every blonde he tried to date he had bad luck with. It wasn't until I pointed this out to the others that they agreed. Karen, Stella, Zoey, Jeanette, and then in the next 12 hours or so, this poor train wreck of a girl named Cassie.

It wasn't that anything was wrong with her in anyway. It was just that she was an emotional mess. Her friends hated her, her boyfriend just dumped her, she just got fired and pretty much any misfortune that you could think up that might happen during a regular weekend (with the exception of a lethal disease) had happened. But let's back up a bit.

* * *

It was evening wedding party that Friday night. I was hanging around with Barney and the others while he explained to Ted his plans for him that night. He would be setting him up with one of three girls for the weekend.

"I spent all of yesterday picking your three prospects for the wedding." Said Barney.

"And I helped." Said Robin. "It was either that or write our wedding vows. Ugh."

"Sophia, Robin's old college roommate. Cassie, my mom's best friend's daughter. Grace, a new co-worker."

It didn't take 10 seconds of getting acquainted with Cassie for him to jump to the chance of sleeping with her.

"Cassie, I choose Cassie!" He said.

As soon as I saw her hair color, I shook my head. "Uh, Ted. I think that you may have chose poorly."

"How so, Ollie?"

"Zoey, Stella, Becky, Jeanette, Karen. What do these women have in common?"

"Uh, all of my worst exes?"

"Not just that. They were all blondes! Haven't you ever seen that? For you, blondes are bad luck!"

"Ex-gymnast with boobs too big to go through exercises? I'll take my chances."

"Don't say I didn't warn you."

* * *

While Ted had to endure all of Cassie's wailing, sobbing, and otherwise bitchy actions, I discussed the Reverend of the church. He glared over at me with gun barrels for eyes.

"Ma fuhrer, that stache is a good look for you!" I saluted with the most subtlety possible.

"Burn! High and Low Five!" Said Barney. I obliged with a quick five.

"So what's this guy's thoughts on me?"

"He doesn't like you, Ollie. But don't take it personally. I think the only thing he likes is shooting down marriage requests."

"You couldn't get another guy?"

"Who could we turn to, Ollie? Who would marry us?"

If Barney was seriously forgetting James' dad, then he deserved to get this angry old guy for a reverend. I kept my trap shut.

* * *

We're all ashamed of things that happened in our pasts. I don't need to tell you of what I'm ashamed of because you know my story. But Robin and Barney were so ashamed of how they met that it turned out that they stole more than each other's hearts.

"You stole the story of how we met?!" Cried Lily.

"We couldn't help it!" Said Barney. "Yours is sweet and lovely and all that crap!"

"Well, yeah. Because it's Marshall and Lily." I put in. "But what gives you the right to steal Lily and Marshall's story?"

"Ollie, not every love story is a sappy one covered in chocolate. You know that." Said Robin.

"Hiding your meeting story from the minister is only gonna fuck things up further."

"YOU!"

I jumped at the thundering voice. I almost thought that it was God, and I had pissed him off so much with my constant swearing he was gonna drag me through the gates of Hell. I looked over to see Lowell pointing a quivering finger at me.

"Aw, shit." I groaned. "Busted."

I walked over. The guy may have intimidated me, but it was clear that he too found me to be a bit more tough than the people he handled usually. He seemed a little off put by my ability to stand up to people.

"I want you to repeat the phrase you just said to the bride and groom."

"Gladly." I replied. "I simply said that lying to the minister is only gonna fuck things up further."

As I found out, it was under this guy's book of over 1001 rules in his church, (I found it in his desk whilst looking for a bible on the wedding day.) swearing in his presence meant swearing in the presence of God, and that meant I had to be "banished".

He snapped and snarled at me, barking like a mad dog. I tried to keep my cool as best as I could while I was getting chewed out. Finally he finished up, leaving me to go back to the bar.

"A shot of tequila, Linus!" I cried.

As I took the shot, Robin and Barney started angrily yelling at Lily. She had exposed the real story of how they met to Lowell. Lowell stormed off with the two following behind.

"Did you hear about Ted and Cassie?" Said Linus.

"What about them?"

"According to one of the waiters in the dining room, they're the couple of the weekend."

I laughed. I think it was a drunken laugh, but I was just laughing at the ridiculousness of it all. I got yelled at a reverend for swearing in a place that didn't even belong to him. His office was at the church, which wasn't even on the Inn's property. And now two people who the universe was desperately trying to pry apart with a crowbar were called the "couple of the weekend".

"What's so funny?" Said Linus

"I told Ted not to choose her. Looks like he chose 'wisely'."

He did not. Cassie wasn't meant to be at the wedding if she was in that kind of state of mind. If she was upset that her boyfriend was sleeping with Sophia, the "car alarm", then a wedding would be the last place she was supposed to be at.  
My phone rang. It was Darren.

"What?" I snapped into my phone. "What do you want, you fucking Diablo?!"

"Ooh! Temper, temper, Ollie. I can't have guys who can't hold their cool in my band."

"But it's not your band, asshole. And you're gonna fire me anyways. I saw the link."

"That ad's just a warning. I'm calling to make sure you understand." He lied. "Fuck up one note at this gig, and I'll see your ass shipped out of here as fast as lightning. Do I make myself clear, Ollie?"

"Only my friends can call me that, Rochev. Go fuck yourself." I hung up.

"Who's that?" Said Lily.

"It's our lead singer." I said. "He's a real devil."

"Sorry, Ollie." Said Lily. "I wish there was something that could make things better."

"I agree. I'll take anything to solve any one of my problems." I said.

Barney and Robin then ran in.

"We got another problem." Said Robin.

It wasn't a problem. If anything, it was a huge save for me and the others.

* * *

"Dead? Lowell just dropped dead?" I asked.

"My best guess is that he couldn't take the news that we had sex in his office, and died right on the spot." Said Barney.

"We can use the church, that's the good news. Bad news is we just need to find a minister by Sunday." Said Robin.

"Don't worry. I'm sure you'll think of something." I said.

Ted suddenly came up to the bar with a different blonde. I recognized her from the iPad photos as Grace.

"Barney, if Ted is still stuck with Cassie..."

"All yours, buddy. Grace'll go bonkers for you."

"Sweet! Thanks!"

Ted got the news from the two that Lowell had died, and came up with an idea.

"Should I do a toast?"

"NO! NOPE!" I cried. "Not for that prick!"

"Ladies and Gentleman," he began, raising his glass. I pushed my hand into my face.

"Reverend Lowell has passed on from this good Earth, and even though he-"

"Uncle Bob is dead?!" I looked over to see Cassie sobbing harder that I had ever seen. I looked over as Ted walked over to comfort her.

"Uh, Grace. Have a good night." He said as he led Cassie out of the room.

"Hey, Barney. Calling Dr. Wingman." I said as I headed for Grace.

"Check." He replied. He swooped in and tapped Grace on the shoulder.

"Hey Grace, Haaaaaaaave you met Ollie?"

* * *

While Ted was up in the room trying to comfort Cassie, I was actually doing pretty good with Grace.

"A bartender? What a fun job!"

"And you! You work with Barney. Can you tell me what he does?"

"Ha! Please." She replied.

Dammit! That's what I always got as an answer. Grace, in her part was a sort of paralegal with GNB. She ensured that any of GNB's activities that weren't legal were covered by mountains of fine print and crazy bullshit jargon that no one understood in the contracts.

At around 10 pm, my phone rang. I didn't bother checking the caller ID, because I was almost positive who it was.

"Excuse me, Grace." I said. "I gotta take this."

I went out into the lobby and picked up my phone.

"Fuck off, Darren. Shut your fucking mouth and understand that your threats are empty and that I will beat the living shit out of you if you fire either me or Juno from the band. I will act on these threats, unlike you."

There was silence on the other end. Then I got a voice. "Ollie? Are you okay?"

It was Marshall. "Oh my god! I'm sorry, Marshall. Just been getting calls from someone I hate. What's going on?"

"I need your help." He said. "It's urgent."


	5. Chapter 5: Arrow

**A/N: Both this chapter and the next feature elements that I thoroughly enjoyed writing with. If you don't know Arrow, it's been referenced a few times previously in the story, and is a great show to watch. And the next chapter was one that I immediately wanted to have in the wedding weekend. It covered a huge gap between hours on Saturday.**

Chapter 5: Arrow

"Moira Queen! You have failed this city!"

The Arrow,

Arrow "Betrayal" 1x13 (2013)

* * *

We all keep secrets. Juno kept her real name from me for 10 years. I kept my cousin's death from my friends for 9. And Marshall had been keeping a secret from Lily for over a week. He had applied to be a judge several months ago and was accepted at the worst possible moment: the week before he and Lily left for Italy.

"Ollie, I need you to help me with deleting the last text from Lily's phone. No questions asked."

"No questions asked? Marshall, I told you that I don't owe you one. You tell me what it is, and I'll help you. You can trust me."

No response. I could feel Marshall was debating on what to do.

"I got accepted to be a judge. I'm not going to Italy. But Lily doesn't know. That text will let the cat out of the bag and who knows what anarchy will ensue?"

I nodded. "Okay. I understand why you need that text gone. I'll get it done."

"The lock's broken on her room door. You can easily get in that way."

"Nope. Not gonna cut it. This is a job for the Arrow." I murmured.

"What?"

* * *

Linus luckily allowed me access to the roof, but I had to get ready first. It wasn't that I should have used the easy way to get the phone. But if I got caught, I couldn't afford Lily to know it was me.

I was out on the porch under the covered canopy putting my gear on.

"What's with the hood?" It was Juno.

I turned and she started laughing. I had green face paint covering my eyes and a bow and arrow quiver slung over my shoulder.

"Got a favor to do for someone." I replied.

"Does that favor involve taking them to Sherwood Forest to let them join your band of Merry Men?"

"Could you hold that thought?" I asked, adjusting the final piece onto my hood. I turned the mic on and started talking. "Testing 1-2-3. Is it good?"

Juno started laughing harder. "Yeah, but it sounds like you inhaled a shit ton of helium."

I groaned. "Wrong switch." I flipped the switch and tried again. "How about now?"

"That sounds like Jigsaw."

"Good." I turned it off and pulled my hood down. "I'll need it that way. I'll see you later."

"You're crazy, Ollie."

"I learned from the best." I replied, smiling.

"Whatever. I'm going back to the house."

* * *

My getup was based off of Arrow, from the TV series of the same name. It was a show that I was a huge fan of, mainly because as a comic fan, Green Arrow was my favorite. He and I shared the same first name. His unofficial catchphrase was something that gave me chills every time he said it on the show. Now I would get the chance to say it to someone in real life.

I had a specific goal towards getting that phone. I wanted to scare Lily into giving the phone right to me so I could delete it myself. It'd be a lot easier for me than trying to sneak in and grab it. If I had a quarter for every time I've tried to sneak through a room only to step on the squeaky floorboard, I could buy Maclaren's, drinks and all.

I found myself on the roof hooking up to a rappelling line. There was a tree I could use to get to the window below me easily. I hooked the line up and then slid down the branches towards the window.

What I should have paid more attention to was the fact that the rain was starting to pour and I was sliding down the branches with ease because they were getting wet. Luckily I made my way to the window no problem. I got my bow ready, and braced myself. I opened the window and jumped right in. Like the most perfect movie cliché, a crack of lightning and rolling thunder accompanied me as I drew an arrow from my quiver and turned on my voice distorter.

"LILY ALDRIN!" I called.

She sat up and screamed.

"You have failed this city..." I continued.

"Who are you?!"

"I'm your worst nightmare, but that's not a concern of yours. What is is what follows. You will give me your phone, handing it right over to me."

"Please! I'll do anything!"

"Hand the phone over to me slowly," I continued. "And this won't have to get bloody."

Had I been paying attention, I would have seen that a branch had snagged on my line after I had gone through the tree and the wind outside was tangling it up in the tree.

But I wasn't noticing that, because I was genuinely having fun with this. Not that I was scaring Lily, or practically threatening her life, but rather the rush I was getting from this. I felt bad about the intimidation, but it was fun to have this rush. What Lily didn't know was that the arrows I had were ground down so that they were super dull. It would just bounce off the wall if I would shoot it.

Lily got out of her bed, clutching the sheet close to her chest. She grabbed her phone and held it out towards me at arms length. I reached for the phone while keeping the bow aimed at her.

All of the sudden, I felt a tug. At first it was small, but then it was sharp and quick, and it flung me out the window into the tree.

"OH SHIIIIIIIT!" I screamed.

I hit the trunk of the tree, then fell with my head almost hitting the ground, and suddenly stopped, suspended with my head less than 3 feet off the ground.

"Holy fuck!" I gasped.

The tangled line had actually wrapped around a loose branch that weighed several good pounds. A gust of wind that had ripped through was just enough to use as a counterweight and pull me out. The line had tangled around my leg and I was now hanging like some kind of old cartoon.

* * *

"Ted, it's Ollie." I moaned. I had managed to pull my phone out and dialed Ted's number. "I need you to get over to the Inn's front tree, and cut me down. No questions asked."

"Kinda in the middle of something, Ollie. I'll be there in 15."

It wasn't 15 minutes. It was almost 45 minutes before someone noticed me dangling from the tree. By then half my blood had rushed to my head and I was so close enough to blacking out.

Once they got me down, I went into the lobby. Lily was there, and she looked pissed.

"Creeper jumping into windows, now. Is that what you've been reduced to, Ollie?" She asked once she figured out why I was wearing the crazy getup.

"Marshall enlisted my help to get the text deleted from your phone."

"No need." She growled. "I know everything."

"Does this mean you'll kick my ass?" I squirmed.

"No. I'm gonna annihilate Marshall's ass when he gets back."

"Oh, this is not gonna end well."

Boy, was I right. That fight that ensued a little more than 24 hours later was the worst I ever saw with any other fight. Although, truth be told, I was in a much worse fight the next day...


	6. Chapter 6: The Rocky Road to Farhampton

Chapter 6: The Rocky Road to Farhampton

** A/N: Just as a sort of prerequisite of reading this chapter, watch the boxing scene from the Sherlock Holmes movie referenced here. As well, the title of the chapter is a reference to the song playing in the background of that scene, except "Dublin" is replaced by "Farhampton". Maybe listen to the song while reading this to add background music. Enjoy!**

* * *

"This mustn't register on an emotional level."

Sherlock Holmes

Sherlock Holmes (2009)

* * *

At exactly 2:06 PM at the 37th second, on Saturday May 24th, with only 28 hours left until the wedding, I was hit in the face by a massive fleshy hammer. The resulting collision with said hammer caused me to suffer from a massive bruise on my face. It was noticeable to everyone at the wedding, but it didn't matter. Whatever pain I went through that weekend, I always remember that it was for the bride and groom, as well as myself.

* * *

March 2015

"And also, I think those punches helped lead me to you." I held her hand closely as she kissed me.

"Tell me the story about that fight, again." She said. "Was it bad?"

"I got my ass handed to me by a midget that day, honey." I said. "Haven't I told you this story several times already?"

"I love hearing it every time." She grinned with that bright smile. "You tell stories like any amazing narrator for the best of them."

"Alright..." I said. "You know how I was in a fight with Barney's half-brother James, right?"

"That's always how you start it." She said as she sat up to listen.

* * *

Saturday 12 PM: 30 Hours before the Wedding

"Barney, I won that damn money fair and square. Why should I give it back to them?!"

"Ollie, this isn't about the money. This is about making peace with my family. For whatever problems you have with them, I want them resolved by the end of this weekend."

"James was the one who called me a lost cause. Why should you side with the guy who claims that marriage is bullshit, yet was married for 6 years before he divorced?"

"Because he's my brother." Said Barney. "And you are, too. You both are important to me, so I think it best that you patch things up."

"Why should I give him back the money? Humor me." I gave the "I'm listening" hand gesture.

"Alimony, man! James will be paying Tom regular alimony and child support checks. That money you just won from him will be worth a month's worth of checks. That's not cool, bro."

"Shit..." I groaned. If I had known that, I wouldn't have spent almost 100 on drinks the previous night. "But why did he gamble?"

"He and I share that problem. He's really bad at poker, and you took the money from him easily without realizing it."

"What else does he bet on?"

"Sometimes boxing matches."

I suddenly had an idea. "Up for better entertainment than that stupid game?"

* * *

"Fighting people like that doesn't prove you're tough, Ollie. It just says how much you're willing to put your teeth on the line." She said.

"Don't need to tell me, babe." I said

* * *

Ranjit knew Farhampton with help from his buddies in the limo business. He had a few friends, and knew just what to look for.

"I know of a bare knuckle boxing operation run at a dairy farm about 15 minutes from here. You could gamble your money there."

"Get James and the others, Barney. I got a thirst for Hawaiian punch."

Stupid pun, I know. But sometimes you really can't help it.

* * *

Soon we were in the limo, heading off to the farm.

"So James," Barney said. "Ollie here came up with an idea that could fix things between you two."

"I bet he did." He glared over at me. "And I bet he wants me to lose more money with this."

"On the contrary." Said Barney. "Ollie is as much a fighter as he is a bartender and all the other things I've seen him do. He's going to have the operators there let him fight, and he wants you to bet on him to win."

"How much?"

"26,000 dollars." I replied.

James howled with laughter, but Barney and I kept our straight faces.

"26 thousand?! And how will I be able to afford this?!"

"You won't. Because Ollie will win that money for you."

"I somewhat doubt his ability to fight matches his ability to be an asshole." Said James.

Tim Gunn suddenly snorted. "I'll bet anyone at this place that Ollie doesn't make it through 5 matches."

I glared at Tim. Snooty asshole like him thought himself better than me. I'd show him.

"If you won't bet on me, James. Then I will. I'll bet on myself." I said. "And I'll raise the stakes: I'll make it 40,000 dollars that I win."

"And if you lose?" Said James. "Who's gonna bail you out?"

"I'm not going to lose. I swear to Lucy."

"Who?"

"We're here!" Called Ranjit. The limo turned up a dirt road towards a small farmhouse. We all jumped out.

"Who's Lucy?!" Called James.

I ignored him as I headed up the path to the farmhouse. Ted followed close behind.

"Stay in New York, Ted. Don't leave." I said.

"Why should I? Robin's getting married, and I have no future with a girl here."

"I told you, slap bet that you'll find her here, where you belong."

We walked up and into the house.

"Welcome, friends!" Said a man in a flannel shirt and overalls. "My name is Big Tom!"

Barney approached him. "We're here to see some fights, Tommy." He said. He slipped a $100 to Big Tom. I guess he thought this was like any club that had a bouncer to bribe.

"I'm sorry, sir? This place is a farm. The most fights you'd see is the cattle fighting over the feed."

Barney looked back at Ranjit. "I thought you said this place is-"

"Wild Haymaker." Ranjit said to Big Tom. I later found out this was the "password" to get in; The wild haymaker is a useful boxing move in matches like these. Appropriate use here, because we were on a farm.

"Ah! You are friends who want to see boxing. In which case, can I get you guys anything before we head over to the ring? Beer? Snacks? 'Sandwiches'?"

"Hold on! Is this a bare knuckle boxing place, and a farm? Why did you let me slip you a hundred?" Said Barney.

Big Tom smirked, pocketing the hundred. "One and only place in the Hamptons for either boxing or farm tours. We do the fights in the barn by afternoon, and we offer public tours in the morning."

Barney patted me on my shoulder. "This guy right here is fighting."

I gulped. Now that I had 40k on the line, and the decision had time to sink in, I felt a bit more intimidated than before. Big Tom went into another room. He came out in a suit, with a diamond studded cane and a form.

"This is a waiver for you to sign. We're not responsible for any lost teeth or limbs."

"Limbs?" I asked.

"I'd like to bet along with Ollie himself that he makes it through 5 matches." Said Barney. "40,000 dollars each for both of us, double or nothing."

Big Tom produced a betting slip pad from his jacket, and wrote down the info.

"Ollie wins 5 matches, and the money is paid out to both of us, double or nothing." Said Barney. "Lose, and we pay up."

"Alright. Sign here, please." He pointed at the dotted line on the paper for me, and the betting slip for Barney and me.

I signed with a quivering hand.

"And I'd also like to bet." Said Gunn in his annoying tone. "50,000 that, uh, 'Ollie' doesn't make it." He looked over at me with disapproval.

I replied by flipping the bird to Gunn.

* * *

"Those who doubt that I can do stuff are assholes."

"See, and I already didn't think much of Gunn and his snooty attitude on TV before I met you. He was already a jackass in my eyes."

"Have I told you how much I love you?" I said, grinning.

"Yes, but I love it when we both say it to each other again." She said.

I ran my fingers through her hair and kissed her. "I love you that much." I said.

"That's a lot." She replied.

* * *

Big Tom led us out the back, and towards the barn. Shouts and cheering could be heard from the inside.

We entered, and I was reminded of the Robert Downey Sherlock Holmes movie. The boxing ring looked just like in the movie, with dirt and hay covering the ground. Two guys with crazy 6 packs were punching away at each other.

"You got this, Ollie." Said Barney, holding my shoulders. "Just know that if things don't work out," He started to choke up a bit. Was he crying?

"Yeah?" I asked.

"I'm having Carl fire you. Got get 'em!" He pushed me into a locket area. Sweaty guys nearly twice my size were putting shirts on, or wiping up their blood and sweat. I pulled off my shirt, and handed in my waiver.

"I didn't know you had tattoos!" Said Ted, suddenly.

I shrugged. By that time I had 5 tattoos. Two on my back, one on my rib, one on my right forearm, and one over my gunshot mark. I have more than 5 now, but more on what they are later.

I vaulted over the wooden wall as the previous match ended.

"Gentleman! We have a new challenger! Standing in that corner, Oliver Blake!" Said Big Tom over a loudspeaker.

Boos and hisses were heard from around as I got into the ring. Those bastards would pay for the early criticism. Instead of acknowledging them with a wave, I reacted to their booing with another bird.

"Easy, there Oliver." He said to me. "And in the other corner, we have Julio Sanchez, our reigning champion!"

There were cheers as a guy who reminded me of a Hispanic Tyrion Lannister ran into the ring.

"I'm gonna grind you to dust, punk!" He snarled.

I couldn't help but laugh. "What're you gonna do? Put me on your boss' naughty list?"

"Gentleman! This will be a 5 minute knockout match. The one who forces a KO will move on. All hits count. Go!"

The guy sprinted at me, jumped up, and started hammering my face like a nail. I wasn't expecting one so short to be so fast. I shook him off, and raised my fists. I may have hit a nerve on the height talk. I told myself to stop with the jokes. But my mouth seemed to have a mind of it's own.

"Did Bilbo Baggins agree to go on your adventure?!"

Should not have said that. He jumped up and kicked me in the gut. I staggered backwards into the wooden wall around the ring.

"C'mon Ollie. Stop giving him a hard time, and beat the crap out of him!" Said Barney.

I pushed up, gathering my bearing.

"You wanna mess with me, BITCH?!" Screamed Julio.

I threw a punch, but Julio's size allowed him to easily duck under, and punch my forearm. That hurt bad, and I clutched it in pain.

"Booo!" Yelled one guy.

"Get this little bitch out of the ring!" Called another.

I was trying hard not to keel over from the force of this little guy's punches. I was starting to see why he was the champion around here. I ran up and gave a good sock in his face. That connected good and hard on him.

"That's from the other Lannisters, Imp!" I spat at him.

He rose up, with the kind of anger in his eyes that would make a lion run for his life.

"Aw, shit." I muttered. I prepared for the hit as I raised my fists. He charged at me, and I successfully jumped out of the way. He charged too far, and hit the wooden ring wall with his head. There were cheers and boos from the crowd. I looked over at Barney, who gave me the thumbs up. Tim was beside him, giving me a completely different finger.

I looked at the timer on the podium. Only half of the time was remaining. I would have to pick it up. Then I got an idea. I had been lifting kegs in bars for the past 10 years. David once made me lift them on a bench press as part of my training. All I needed to do was throw one more insult.

"Hey, Julio. You tall enough to ride the bumper cars yet, or do you have to wait till you're all grown up like a big boy?"

I saw a deep fiery inferno in Julio's eyes, as he got up from his hit with the wall. He charged at me like a bull. But I was expecting this.

"Alley-oop!" I said, and as he grabbed me, I took a firm grip on him, and vaulted him over the wooden wall. Guy like that size wasn't too much heavier than a beer keg, and I was just able to get him over the wall.

"Disqualification for leaving the ring!" Called Big Tom. Several cheered at their new champion.

I raised my hands as I went over to my corner. Barney was on the other side waiting.

"Water." I wheezed.

Barney grabbed one from the tables off to the side, and handed it to me.

"How are you doing? You know you can back out." Said Barney, looking worried.

"Barney, I'm not backing out to lose to some snoot like Gunn. I'll get you your money. You said I earned your friendship, but now I realize that I have to really earn it." I groaned. Julio had given me at least 3 bruises that I could feel forming.

"Lucy? Is that your cousin?"

I looked up to see James.

"We all have people we care about, James. See here."

I turned my back towards him and gestured to my right shoulder blade. Lucy's name was there, clear as day. That was the second tattoo I ever got.

"I'm not a lost cause, James. I just believe that fate brings us to the One for us every time. If you have a problem with my believing in love, then fuck off."

"I'm not. Barney told me about Lucy. I understand, now. 30,000$ to win, I put on you. Kick their asses, Blake!"

I raised my hands, exhausted. I slumped into a stool in the corner while a water guy came up with a towel.

"I'm only here for 4 more matches. Then I'm not coming back." I said, simply.

"I don't blame you, man. You clearly got the shit kicked out of you. 4 more matches, and you can go."

The next challenger proved to be not as anger induced as Julio, but was still tough to fight. It soon became a punching match, trying to make each of our punches connect to the other's face. Eventually we both stopped. I stood back, huffing and puffing. He on the other hand, fell backwards doing the exact same thing. That was enough for the ref to count as a KO.

I slumped back into my corner as Ted came up.

"What's that saying, Ollie? Everything happens for a reason? Can you prove to me that there's a reason to win this bet?"

"Yeah. Barney, James and Robin deserve that money way more than Gunn. I'm winning this bet." Ted started walking away at that note.

"And Ted!" I said.

He walked back.

"Simple reason for staying here in New York: Because I know you're meeting the 'One' any day now."

With that, I headed back into the ring.

The next opponent was an older guy, possibly in his late forties, but looked quite spry. He looked a bit intimidated by me. That's possibly because the last two guys were a midget who I forced out by vaulting him over a wall, and another guy who I exhausted into a KO.

"Gentleman, fight!"

The punches started getting thrown. I tried dodging as best I could, with about three punches landing on my chest.

"I wonder why Marshall likes slapping so much?" I thought. "I should give it a try."

I then raised my hand and gave the man a good slap across his face. A few of the crowd laughed, as the man staggered back, expecting something a lot more solid than a slap.

"Let's go, gramps! I got good money I want to collect!" I raised my hands as he ran up and lifted me up towards the ceiling, trying the same technique I did to get rid of Julio.

"Oh, you're pretty strong by your looks. Or I'm losing weight. These days I really can't tell." I said.

He replied to that remark by head-butting me. I fell onto the ground. It seemed to be a recurring theme tonight to be falling down after every hit.

"Ok!" I groaned, on my back. "That smarts." I got back up, the crowd cheering me on now.

"My turn." I hooked him in the face. Dazed, he tried hitting back, where I swooped under to the side, slapping him again. As he tried to find his senses, I let myself go nuts on him, letting no second get wasted as I let every punch make him slowly black out. Finally, he fell down, the ref counting him out.

"That's 3 matches won, and I'm still going strong." I bragged, when I got back to my corner, Barney cheering me on.

"You impress me, Ollie." Said Ranjit, leaning over the wall. "You should have worked as a professional bar fighter."

"Easy there, Ranjit. Still got 2 more to go. You can give me the hot air for me to fill up with after I win."

My next opponent was a really tall, skinny guy. This reminded me of something Barney wondered once, before I started working at Maclaren's.

"I wonder what it would be like to have sex with a tall girl." He had said. "Not a big girl. Just a really tall girl." He later posted this idea to his blog, which I found in the blog's archived entries.

This guy was what I think Barney would consider appropriate, but a guy. After taking a good swig of water, I got up, and started towards him.

"Just get through these next two, without the wisecracking. Then I might not get beaten so hard." I thought to myself.

"Gentleman, go!" Said Big Tom.

I dove down to avoid a good sweeping punch downwards from the guy. Then I realized the unfair advantage here. His height made it difficult for me to land a punch above the belt. I took a good running jump, and punched him into his chest. He didn't really react, and brushed it off. I was finding it hard enough to land a punch above this prick's belt, so I found it unbelievable to have this guy be able to brush off a punch like that.

Then I remembered how Julio fought. He had about the same size difference with me as I did with this guy. I'd have to think like that guy. I charged at him, and jumped up hard, hooking into his face. He fell backwards, and clutched it in pain.

"Pussy alert." I muttered, and pushed him hard into his chest, knocking him down. He must have been used to punches to the chest so much, that a punch to the face was new for him. He lay there while the ref counted down. He was soon KO'd.

"I got this, Barney! I'm winning!"

"I'm worried though. The last guy is bigger than Marshall."

I gulped. "How big we talking?" I asked.

Barney gestured with his hands.

"Oh, shit..."

This was gonna hurt.

* * *

"Didn't you say one of your ribs was cracked in that fight? How did you get through the weekend?"

"It was just one rib. Of course, I went to the hospital a few days afterwards to find out why my chest hurt, but at least they weren't broken."

"Those tattoos. I remember what happened when I saw one of them for the first time."

"I know. I wish I would've told you about it sooner than when you saw it." I said. "Then what happened wouldn't have happened."

* * *

That last match brought me to now. 2:06 PM. I had been through 4 matches, but the fifth was a living hell. The guy I was fighting made Marshall look like a butterfly. He had connected five punches with my face, and ten to my chest. It hurt something awful, and I was lying on the ground in pain while the ref started counting up to ten.

"5, 6, 7-" he said.

I got up, still dazed. I used the wooden ring edge as support as Barney said something that I thanked him with my life afterwards: "Fight dirty!" he said, looking at the ground.

I looked down, noticing the ground. Hay was scattered over the dusty dirt. Then I understood.

"C'mere, motherfucker!" I called. The lumbering bear charged at me as I grabbed a handful of dirt and tossed it in his eyes.

He screeched in pain as I kicked and punched with everything I had on his unguarded torso. Several people were booing, trying to figure out if what I did was legal.

I was still punching and kicking when the guy cleared his eyes out, and started punching towards me.

"You gotta be shitting me. I land at least thirty hits, and you're not down yet?!" I yelled.

"You're mine, you little runt!" He replied. He grabbed me and pulled me up towards the overhead lights. He slammed his head into my face so hard, I could feel my cranium rattling around in my head.

I fell back down onto the ground, only this time, I was on my knees. That position wasn't enough for the ref to start counting, but at that moment, I didn't care. 40,000 dollars didn't seem to be worth it if I had to go through this much. I decided to call it quits. I got up, and waved a bit at the guy.

"That's it, bro. You've won."

I heard the crowd booing as I turned my back on him and started to walk out of the ring.

"WE AREN'T DONE YET!" He called. Then I heard him laugh. "Who's Lucy? She your grinch?"

But he didn't say grinch. He said the monster of bad words. And using such a word towards my family turned me into the Hulk.

* * *

"That's my thing. You can mess with me, but family, friends, and the love of my life," I tapped my finger on her forehead. "Are off limits."

"I love you, too." She replied.

* * *

This was almost like the movie, but with one difference: what happened next was all based on an "emotional level".

I turned right around and used the force of my spin to hammer him right in the jaw. He was obviously not expecting that, because it was a lot easier to push him backwards with that hit.

I swooped my hands around, slapping him in his ears. Sherlock called it "discombobulating". He dropped me to the ground, clutching his ears. I then wailed away at his jaw, not sure exactly how to dislocate it the way Holmes did. Eventually I made one punch that I could actually feel something break, and I followed that hit with a massive kick towards his lower front. He fell back, unconscious. I think I had also hit him in the nuts with that last kick.

Everyone just stood there, amazed. I stood over the asshole, and spat with a loud *ptoo*.

"That was for my family, shithead." I said.

I vaulted over the ring, towards the locker area. There were no sounds made in the crowd as I pulled my shirt on. I grabbed a towel, wiping it on my face. It was soon stained of blood and sweat. Everyone continued to stare at me with disbelief. I walked up to Big Tom.

"In the words of Jesse Pinkman, 'Where's my money, bitch?'" I said.

Everyone suddenly went into an uproar. I saw bills getting passed left and right, people patting me on the back, and I think one guy wanted my autograph. Big Tom beamed.

"Fantastic job, Oliver."

"It's Ollie, Big Tom." I replied.

"Ok. We gotta look at making this a regular gig."

"No can do, Big Tom. I'm a bartender. I can't give it up for underground boxing."

"Really? But you seem like a natural!"

"I agree, but this was just a one time thing. Can I get my money?"

"Surely." He replied. He went into his office, and brought out huge stacks of bills. He had to count out 110 thousand dollars for me, Barney, and James.

"Just out of curiosity, Ollie." He said as he handed me my money. "Did you have the funds to cover that bet?"

"Hell no. But I didn't need them. I knew I would win."

"Impressive. Quite a risk you took. We definitely need more fighters like you. Good luck, Barney with your wedding. And to all of you, have a good weekend."

I walked out of the barn, with the others behind me.

"So Barney told you about Lucy, huh?" I asked James.

"Was she special?"

"Hell yeah. Not like 'special' special. Instead, she was the kind of person who was really smart for her age. It was amazing the things she said before she died."

"How did she...?"

I sighed. "Brain cancer. Died on the operating table. The weeks following her death were the worst of my life."

"I guess we both jumped to conclusions about each other, Ollie."

"Yeah, we did. Tell me, do you understand how to play poker?"

"All honesty, no. I don't play it often, as it's not really something that attracts gay guys."

"To really be honest, I don't think it should. It doesn't really attract girls, either. I can teach you how to be better, though. All I ask is that you don't gamble away alimony checks and risk going broke."

"Agreed."

"Hey, Ollie!" Said Ted. "You doing okay there? You look rough."

"You're right. I'm not feeling too hot." I suddenly felt dizzy and white hot with pain.

I started to fall down, until Ranjit boosted me up. He started using himself to support me.

"Lean on me, my friend. I will help you."

We made our way across the field, to the limo, where I finally sat down on the soft leather seats.

"Ranjit, you may need some good stain remover to get the blood out." I said, as we started out.

"I'll put that on my list. Thank you, Ollie."

"Goddamn, I don't think I'll be able to make it through the wedding tomorrow."

Barney grinned. "Hang in there, Ollie. This'll all work out."

I don't doubt Barney's words there. While it was hard to make it through that day tomorrow, I made it through, serving up the wedding the next day, and jamming hard on the stage. If I had control over destiny and what would happen that weekend, then I would've taken many more punches to have it happen sooner.

* * *

"I would've focused on the pain I was in, but for the last days, all I could think about was this, and where it landed." I said.

I brushed my hand over her braid. The white feather was there, in her hair. The one I had dropped so long ago.

"It landed just where it was supposed to, Ollie: right in my hand."

I leaned in and kissed the One I had been looking for. My Lebenslanger Schicksalsschatz as Ted told me once that the Germans call the "One" for them. The One who found the feather.

* * *

**A/N: Yes, the girl is Ollie's "One", to which I have picked out a name for already. No, you won't get her name just yet so I ask you to be patient. And no, it's not Lucy, because that would be kinda weird. On another note, this chapter I had planned out about 2 months ago as I was writing Ollie's Story. I hope you liked it as much as I did writing it.**


	7. Chapter 7: Long Road Ahead

**A/N: What follows is an idea I've had that would make another story as a separate arc that has almost nothing to do with the gang, and has Ollie on his own. Review with a "yay" or "nay" towards this idea you do or you don't want me to post this story."**

Chapter 7: Long Road Ahead

"So where do you plan on riding?"

"...I don't know yet."

Ben Tyler and Motorbike Seller

One Week (2008)

* * *

My tattoos each have a story. Although, I realize that I made a mistake: the one on my rib I didn't get for another 2 years. So what were they?

My first one was the outline of a bear. Basically only made of one thin line of ink, like an object in a book that had yet to be colored. That was part of a story which I told Barney and Robin a few hours after my fights.

The second and third ones I got together. Lucy's name was on my shoulder blade, but I forgot to mention that below her name, the numbers 17-6-03 were there. If you know my story, you don't need an explanation what the numbers mean.

My third was the one I had to go through the most pain to get. Dan, the guy who usually gave me my tattoos said it was a miracle I didn't get sick from it. I insisted that I would get an arrow tattooed right over my scar, to remind me of what it was that drove me away from Washington. The problem was, I was still healing from the wound, so not only did it hurt like shit, but like I said, I almost caught something. Luckily, fate decided that June was a bad month for me, and gave me a free pass out of there.

My fourth one I got a month later, after I got my bartending license. The water droplet on my keychain I got put on my ankle. While it looked like a simple water droplet, it also had a wavy line crossing it like a wave.

And for almost ten years, I didn't get another. But then I got my fifth one, the last one I got by May 2013. And the biggest: a white tattoo of tree branches on the length of my left back. That was to represent the growth in character I had when I returned to my family. Kinda silly, but I liked it. White tattoos look cool.

* * *

It was right after my fight, as I held a cloth soaked in rubbing alcohol to my face. The smell burned as much as my face.

As Ranjit started the limo, and drove up the dirt road, Barney's phone rang.

"Go for Barney." He answered. "Hey! Yes. Yes, he is. Uh, okay?" He looked over at me. "Uh, yes. Yeah, I'll let him know. Thanks. Bye."

"What was that about?" I asked.

Barney looked a bit worried. "Ollie, how were you planning on getting back to the city?"

That was one of the things I hadn't really thought of. I was busy training for getting to the wedding, I didn't think about how I would get back to the city from it.

"I was assuming that Keith would be flying me back."

Barney sighed. "That was Keith who just called. He wants to see you at the airfield. It's an emergency, apparently. We'll drop you off."

"How will I get back to the Inn?" I asked.

"It's a ten minute walk from the airfield."

After I finished my water, Barney called over to Ranjit to drop me off at Keith's workplace. A few minutes later I got out to a large field with a long Tarmac and I walked on, up the road to a small office, with a plane parked there. I recognized it as the one that dropped me here. I entered the office.

Keith was there. Hard to miss him with his bushy beard. But then again, he was also the only one in there.

"Ollie! Good to see you again!" He said. He got up and seized my hand in a monster hand shake.

"Same here, Keith. So is this where you work?" I asked.

"This is my nest. When I'm not flying, I'm working here." He gestured around proudly.

I sat down at his desk across from him. "So Barney told me you needed to see me?"

"Yeah. We got a problem." He said, seriously.

"What kind of problem?" I asked, a little scared.

"This here," He pulled out a clipboard with graphs on it. "is the readings that my weather instruments are telling me for future flying conditions. I consult these to usually determine my hours of operations for skydiving."

"Okay? So what's the problem?"

"Here." He flipped the page to a line graph. It was dated for tomorrow, and a huge spike was on it.

"What's that?" I asked.

"The conditions for tomorrow night. That huge spike will ground us, no doubt. And that's only wind conditions! The rest are unbelievable!"

"What is this all about? I'm a little confused."

Keith pulled a tv remote out from his desk, and turned the tv on. It was set to Metro News 1. This was like the most conveniently timed news broadcast in the world.

"-what meteorologists in the Northeast are calling the 'mother of all storms'. While nowhere near as destructive as Hurricane Irene, which tore through the East Coast almost 2 years ago, this storm is having meteorologists baffled. Michael is here with weather. Michael, what can you tell us about the forecast?"

The screen switched to the weather man, in front of the satellite map that they all stand in front of. Large dark clouds were rolling up from Virginia, towards- uh, oh.

"We have the storm rolling in towards the North, ever since it materialized in North Carolina. All flights up the East Coast are being grounded in anticipation for the storm. We can expect it to cruise through Virginia and Maryland tonight, then make it's way up to and through New York and Long Island tomorrow night."

Keith turned off the tv. "Now you see it? These readings on the charts are from instruments I had set up in D.C. If they're this high when it hits here, then we aren't leaving."

I cringed. "But we gotta have options, right? There can't be stranding ourselves out here as an option."

"Well, I live here. If I were to be able to get you back to the city tomorrow night, which I doubt I will, it'll be me getting stranded, not you. But yeah, we got options."

"What do we have?"

"Real simple: Either we leave tonight, and you back out of the job, or we stay here and you find another way home."

I thought for a minute. Juno had wanted me to take the train with her out here in the first place, so I should try to go back with her. But something told me that that wasn't the best option. Something almost like the voice of fate saying "stay the hell away from the train."

I needed to be here. There was no question about it. I came here to do a job, and I intended with full commitment to get that job done.

"There should be some guests getting rides back to the city that night. If I get back to JFK at least, then it's a straight shot. We're staying here. Doesn't matter that there's a storm coming. When it does, I'll be ready."

* * *

After getting the storm warning from Keith, I walked around town aimlessly. It would be hard for me to find a way back to the city, but I could try. Worst case, I could call for a cab or take the train.

I headed down to a local marina, and saw boats rocking in the water precariously. Now I understood why: the incoming storm was already affecting the water levels with the wind. I needed someone other than Ted or Juno heading back to the city Sunday night. I continued walking around.

I ended up going down a back alley of a few bungalow houses. When I got to one of the garages behind them, I saw something that reminded me of one of my favorite movies.

Robin showed me the movie "One Week" along with the rest of the gang, to show them how awesome Canada is at making movies. This guy in Toronto gets diagnosed with lethal cancer and instead of getting treatment, buys a used motorcycle and heads to Vancouver Island.

I looked at the open garage to see a blue Ford F150 that had to be almost as old as I was. A cardboard sign was mounted on it's bumper reading "For Sale". The owner was sitting on the bumper drinking a beer.

"Hey there, young fella." He said, happily.

I nodded to him, and took a closer look at the truck.

"Ah, I see you're admiring my little beauty here. Yeah, she's seen some time with me, but I think it's now that moment where I say goodbye. You never think you'll ever have to move on from some things."

"How much?"

"I'd say a good 18 grand, or so. Are you interested?"

I shrugged. "I live in the city. Where would I drive it?"

"Don't drive it in the city!" He declared. "If anything, she deserves to see the long open road again."

"I'll think about it."

I wasn't thinking about it. I was positive that this was what I needed to get home. But why use so much money just to get back home, and then never drive it? Even with the 40,000 dollars I won from my fights just sitting in my pocket, I still felt a bit hesitant to buy it at this moment.

"What's your name, boy?"

"Oliver. Oliver Blake."

"Oliver, my name is Alan. And I will tell it to you straight: I will keep this truck on hold for you until I get a yes or no."

He took out a pad and paper and got my phone number from me, and I, the same for him.

* * *

June 17th 2013

It wasn't until a month went by that I made the decision to buy the truck. With Ted and Juno finally together, I felt that my work there was done, for now. I had went to that weekend to not only help with the wedding, but to also help fate bring them together. And I succeeded.

"I came back to Farhampton and bought the truck a few days ago." I said. "Happy birthday to me!"

The six of them just stared at me. I had just broken the news to them on the 16th of June, the day before my birthday.

"Are you 'One Weeking' us?" Said Robin.

"Wha? No!" I said.

"Then why are you running?" Said Marshall.

"Are you sick?" Said Lily.

"Are you going to die?" Said Ted.

"Guys!" Said Juno. "I've known Ollie longer than all of you, and I think that letting him talk would be the best for all of us. That's usually all he asks for."

"Thanks, J. Guys, I want to say that the wedding gave me the motivation to do the things I needed to do to make sure fate occurred. Now Ted and Juno met, and I think my work here is done. For now."

"And so you're leaving?" Said Barney.

"At most it'll be about a month. But I'll be back. You can count on me. I just realized something. I spent my whole life in only two places: here and home in Washington. I need to go out there, and see this world." I gestured out the window. "I need to have an adventure."

"Ollie, I tried to run away to Chicago, and you protested." Said Ted. "Now I must do the same for you. You have friends here who care for you. You've been here for us when we need you. Don't leave. We may need your guidance if things go to hell."

"If I don't leave, the investment I put into that truck will be worthless. Almost half of what I won in that fight, gone."

It took a while. To me it seemed pointless for them to protest, and ultimately I convinced them to let me go.

"When I return, I'll let fate decide wether or not it's my turn to find someone. I'll be back within a month." I said.

* * *

So on June 17th, high noon, I packed up the truck with a canopy had bought for the trip, and was about to set off.

Before I left, I sat down with the guys to have a quick drink before I left. Although while they settled for a bottle of champagne to see me off, I had a Coke. I know what happens to those who drink before leaving on road trips.

"So, anything to help us get through this while you're gone?"

"Only a quote. A quote to help you understand why I left. I quote Gandalf in The Hobbit:" as I did, I regressed to my best Gandalf impression. "'The world isn't in your maps and books. It's out there.'"

* * *

The gang all watched me as I climbed into the truck's cab.

"Where do you think you'll go?" Asked Juno.

"Don't know. South, most likely, then figure it out as I go."

I started the engine and revved it up.

"Ollie, before you go." Said Barney. "Here." He handed me an envelope through the window.

"What's this?" I said, looking at the envelope.

"2,000$. That's the equivalent of most of the free drinks you gave me at the bar. Use it on this trip, and use it well. All that money you got in this past month should be well spent. Don't waste a second out there."

"I will. And I know this trip will be legen- wait for it..."

And with that, I headed off, waving back at them.

* * *

It took a long month, but when I returned I had crossed through 24 states, 3 Canadian provinces, and thousands of miles. Truth be told, it was a trip where I was both running away, and chasing something. I was running away from the fact that I was alone, and I was also chasing fate. I was hoping that I would run into the One for me on that trip. I guess I was like Ted in that way. Instead, I was given sights and miracles that only the ones who dare to do what I did get to see. I met new people. I bought souvenirs galore. I drove on the road I nicknamed the "Highway to Hell". All during this trip, I hoped I would meet her, if the feather that I let go wasn't destined to land into her hands.

But it turned out that fate wanted me as well to stay in New York. Almost 8 months after I returned, I met her, and she was just as I hoped.


	8. Chapter 8: Ursis

Chapter 8: Ursis

"After all we've been through...Everything that I've done...It can't be for nothing."

Ellie

The Last Of Us (2013)

* * *

The Latin term for Grizzly Bear is Ursis Horriblus. I always thought that it meant that meeting one would be horrible.

That was something I said when I was in Port Angeles, hunting rabbits and deer. My Dad wanted me to go through the Blake's hunting rite of passage. For the past 4 generations of hunters, the Blake's son, when he was in his adolescence, hunted a full sized grizzly bear, and took both it's head and skin as trophies. I was 15, and my old man was getting desperate for me to get my chance to hunt. My chance came soon enough.

* * *

"And this really happened?"

"Oh, yes. What, does my sister not believe me?"

Juno shrugged. "It depends on how this story goes." She said.

I nodded. This was the night before the wedding, and I had decided to tell her this, as I had told others already. But let's back up to earlier that day.

* * *

When I came back to the Inn, it was 5 PM. I had caught Robin and Barney at a bad time, because she was really upset over something.

"Ring bear-er!" Said Robin. "ER! ER!"

"Yeah, that's what I said: ring bear."

"I am not having a wild animal at my wedding, Barney!" Said Robin.

I was just walking into the bar when I heard this. I jumped.

"Bear? Did you say bear?!"

"RING BEARER!" Shouted Robin. "It's supposed to be a ring bearer."

"Yeah..." I said. "I'm not gonna be at the ceremony if there's gonna be a bear there."

"Discrimination against the Grizzlies? Is this another tale from the Hunter?" Said Barney.

"The year was 1998. The place, Port Angeles, Washington." I sat down.

* * *

15 years ago

As a hunter, I wasn't jobless. My family also owned a hunting store in the town, where I worked as a cashier and cleaning guns. Hunters came and went through the store, and in the last month I heard tales of something. A monster that had been terrorizing several smaller towns a few hours outside of Port Angeles.

"It's said this one has the fur the color of mud, and the fury of the greatest beast alive." Said one of the hunters gathering around the store.

My Dad had also heard about this. He was a bit interested in it. "What's this? Another sighting?"

The hunter nodded his head. "Yes sir, Mr. Blake. This thing looks like a bear, but it's the devil's pet. Gotta be at least two hundred pounds and ten feet tall."

"Who saw this 'Devil Bear'?"

One of the hunters walked out. He was paper white, and a massive look of terror painted his place.

"I did, and I consider myself beyond lucky that I made it out of there alive. I didn't bother to try to kill it because this thing looked like it could take the bullets of seventy hunting rifles and brush them off. This thing knocked over a regular dumpster like it was a Lego house."

"Oliver, you wanna come over to the ammo supply?" Said Dad.

We both walked over into the back room. I knew what he was going to say about this. And I was afraid that it was what I suspected.

"I think you can track this beast and kill it, son."

"Dad, are you out of your mind?!" I asked. "That thing has been terrorizing the local hunters for 2 whole months. We already have one fatality from someone who tried to track it down. What makes me any different?"

"Because most of these guys rely on guns. You won't be going in with high tech."

My Dad pulled out a flat wooden box and flipped open the lid. A beautifully hand crafted recurve bow laid gently in the box.

"I just had a shipment of three of these. That bear won't be expecting something as simple as a bow and arrow. The noise from guns will attract him."

"You do realize that if I don't come out of this, you're gonna have to live with that the rest of your life, right?"

"I know that, son. But I know that you'll make it out of this."

* * *

I spent two weeks planning the hunt. I got special arrows sharpened to extreme lengths and possessing shafts made of a durable carbon alloy. Lucy had been helping me with this.

"If I was with you, I'd try to find out why this bear is wrecking people's trashes, yards, and killed that guy. Everything happens for a reason."

"That's where I come in, Lucy. I'm gonna find this bear, and hopefully come back alive after I've stopped it."

"If you do come back alive, you gotta promise me something. I've seen too many hunters lose a part of who they are when they come back from these hunts. Always remember who you are, no matter what happens in there."

* * *

"Bears are one of the most defensive and territorial animals on the planet. My first thought was that this bear was on the defensive because hunters moved in on it's territory. But it was so much more than that. Like always, there's more to this story than meets the eye."

"I bet my father would be glad to meet you, Ollie." Said Robin. "He has the upmost respect for those who can hunt like you. I'll introduce you to him later."

"I'm not so sure he'd like where this story ends. Spoiler alert: I developed a severe case of Ursaphobia as a result. I had been through many dangerous hunts through my life, but this one was the one that had an impact on my life."

"How so?"

I pulled out my necklace from under my shirt. It was a leather cord that carried one of the grizzly's claws. Robin stared at it.

"That's too damn big for a bear's claw."

"You'd think, but no."

* * *

Dad provided me with as many supplies as he saw necessary. I was given over 20 arrows in a larger quiver with a sharpening block, a first aid kit, and basically anything else I'd need for surviving the hunt.

"Why are you doing this, Dad?"

"Because I've seen you survive many other things when we've hunted. There's been that old story of many skilled warriors who couldn't defeat the monster that terrorized the town, but then there was that one humble person who saved them all. I know you can be that person. Only try, and you will succeed."

* * *

"Now, you can choose to believe this story as much as you want, but all I'm saying is that I didn't tell much of this story anyone before you guys because even I didn't believe what I saw that week."

"Did you see Bigfoot?"

"No. What I did see was just as unbelievable."

* * *

That day I was given an escort by Dad and several of the hunters that frequently bought supplies from my family. There was no celebration as people saw me enter the woods, but many wished me luck. Lucy even came to see me off.

"I'll see you soon, Ollie." She said.

Dad then gave me one small box, last of all.

"Those supplies in that box could save your life, Ollie. Don't waste them. The flare gun is to signal that you've done it. Mark your path on the trees, and we'll find you."

And with that, I set off. No one cheered for me. Only murmurs and prayers came from them.

I was given a map of the surrounding area and marked areas of recent sightings. Dad said no one was to help me with this as it could lead to more fatalities.

Now you can think that my Dad was pushing me into a situation where I would be killed, and I'll agree that that's what I was thinking for the first few days. But I understood that he wanted to not give me greatness, but provide me with the opportunity to earn it. He was only giving me the opportunity to go through my Blake rite of passage.

After about an hour of wandering the woods, I found myself at a stream. I sat down at a rock to go over my supplies.

Weapons wise I was given along with my bow and arrows, a lightweight tomahawk which I could use to get firewood, a hunting knife, and when I opened the box, I found a Python revolver with 2 dozen bullets.

"Last resort." I said to myself. Not in terms of suicide, but in case if my arrows didn't work.

A small block of flint, some dryer lint nestled in a ziplock bag, and a thermal blanket were in my backpack, along with a notebook and a camera.

I checked the map, and using my knowledge of the surrounding area, determined that I was about 2 miles out from the closest sighting area.

"Day 1." I started writing. "I've been out in the woods for about an hour. My Dad has practically sentenced me to death by having me get mauled by a grizzly bear the locals are calling the 'Devil Bear'. This ruthless bastard has already mauled one person and has practically destroyed the garbage bins of several local stores. My job is to hunt it down and end it's life. But Lucy says to me that there must be more to this story. I may want to try to find out why this bear has been destroying the local businesses before taking it from this world."

I finished up and piled my supplies back into my backpack. I headed up stream to find a cleaner water source. After about thirty minutes of trudging up the stream I found a small waterfall where I then used to fill my pot. I then set up a small fire to help boil the water. By that time the sun was starting to set, and I figured I would set up camp and head off in the morning.

I managed to build a solid shelter using branches and moss propped up against the tree. It wasn't the best shelter in the world, but at least it kept me warm.

As I struggled to sleep with the cool spring air, I heard a rustling in the bushes. At first I was thinking it was a bird, but then I heard a growl.

* * *

"Now you're lying, man." Said Barney. "If that 'Devil Bear' got anywhere close to you, he'd have ripped you a new one."

"Yeah, I can see how you'd think that way, but there's still more."

* * *

Survival instinct has taught me that you always have to be ready no matter what. As soon as I heard the rustling, I whipped out my bow and let an arrow fly. It hit the animal dead on.

It turned out the rustling and the growling were two completely different things. The rustling came from a deer, and the growling was my stomach. While I was given food rations, I decided to save all my best resources as last resorts. I went to sleep with barely anything to eat, so that explained why my stomach growled. Although I found it hilarious that it woke me up.

Thanks to my quick thinking, I now had meat to eat. With little sleep and quick determination, I skinned the deer and put the meat onto a fire. After a while the sun started to rise on my second day. Now it was time to find the bear, and stop it's shenanigans.

I was easily able to locate where I was on my map and find that I still had a good hour's walk before I'd get to the closest sighting area. I wrote in my journal a bit before leaving.

"As the sun rises on my second day out in the woods, I found myself with the good fortune of finding a fairly good deer. It should provide me with enough meat to last me at least a week out here if the situation calls for that. But it shouldn't be too hard to track the animal once I get to the sighting area."

I closed the book, put the meat into a few bags, and started on my way.

Presently, I reached a river. It wasn't one with raging rapids, nor was so slow I could just walk in it. It was just a river. But as I got closer, I saw that there was legit salmon swimming up the river. And pretty good sizes at that.

"Looks like it's my goddamn lucky day." I muttered. I started writing.

"Day 2: a stroke of early luck has provided me with a river which I have found to be a local fishing hotspots about 7 miles downstream. The deer has provided me with a good supply of meat, so I'll leave the river behind, but will come back when I need it."

I decided that I would have to cross the river if there was any chance I'd find the Devil. I carefully waded through the water so as not to scare any of the salmon. Once I got across, I found a rock to sit on and had some of the deer. A little cold, it was still just as good as it could get.

"With all that salmon, I could have food on the table for my family for at least a month." I murmured.

Checking the map, I was at least a good ten minutes from the sighting area. I took my knife out and marked one of the trees. I started marking a trail to get back to the river. Food and water supplies here were good, so all I needed was to find shelter. But I would worry about that later. Right now I had to focus on finding the bear.

The bear had been sighted in 7 difference spots on my map, with me being close to about two of them, and the furthest away being about 2 miles. The latest sighting was a half hour walk from here. I decided to start with the closest area, then make my way over to the latest. I had some starting point, but I would just have to make sure this animal didn't know where I was. Stealth was the key to survival. I pulled up my hood and set off.

When I got to the sighting area, it looked just as bad as I was told. A week ago a group of hunters had seen this bear go head on with a deer. It didn't have any chance of getting out alive. Several trees around there were tilted to the side, and the bear had slashed one so much I had seen the claw marks. This thing was no bear. It was indeed the Devil in disguise.

The recent rain had washed away the tracks left by the bear, but it had left several claw marks headed in the direction away from the next closest sighting area. Before leaving, I took pictures of the site with my camera, then set off; the hunters didn't take photo evidence.

Ripping apart deer, and mauling a hunter, let alone one that I had known once. It made me mad. This thing would pay. I would make sure it felt the pain that every single thing it killed had felt.

But then I remembered what Lucy said. "Don't forget who you are. It could be an animal trying to defend it's territory." She said.

"I will, Lucy. I promise." I said out loud. As I stepped across what I thought was solid rock, I felt the ground give way and I fell in with a loud scream.

* * *

"Ollie, I see what you're doing here. You're siding with Robin so that I don't have a ring bear at the wedding, and trying to scare me with this story."

"No, Barnacle." I replied. "I'm just telling a story of something amazing that I saw when I was a kid."

"Never mind him, Ollie. Please continue."

I looked up in surprise to see that I had attracted a small group of people. I saw Linus and Curtis were also there, along with both James and Barney's dads.

"Going ahead, you have a choice, for those listening. You can choose to believe this story, or think I'm bullshitting you. Believe what you want." I said.

* * *

I had fallen into a hole that had been covered by fallen twigs and leaves. It wasn't a man made trap. It just had been covered by the years and seasons.

I had fallen in a cave, which I at first thought was the bear's den, but I soon found was in no way like that. But it could have served as a good shelter for the bear.

"This is perfect." I muttered. "I can use this place as a shelter while I look for the bear."

I had shelter, a water source, and plenty of meat to eat from the river. But it wouldn't last long either way. I couldn't live out here like a hermit. I would still have to look for the bear.

* * *

Checking the next sighting area, my findings weren't too much of an improvement. There were bear paw prints in the ground, but beyond that, nothing but the same as last.

"You tricky bastard." I muttered. "I'll find you, yet."

5 hours passed as I hunted through the areas, with the few prints I found leading in all kinds of crazy directions. By that time I was almost out of water, and decided to go back to the salmon river. I headed back and filled my pot just as the sun started setting. I caught a single salmon for dinner that night and made shelter in the cave.

"This bear is showing the exact opposite signs of what I've heard of it." I wrote. "I'd been told that it'd be really easy to find, and yet I'm spending my third day tomorrow trying to track him down. I'm gonna die out here if I don't go insane from isolation first."

I had my options laid out for me. The resources I had would give me enough energy and time to head back home at least 3 times, but I also had the option to keep going.

I constantly thought hard about going home. I'd be hated among the hunters for not ending their fear, but at least I'd be alive and calm.

But I also was curious. No one had taken pictures of this bear, and yet I had heard stories that were scaring the local kids and making the hunters fear for their lives. I'd be a local hero if I found this thing. I'd keep going.

I set up another fire under the open pit to allow ventilation. There wouldn't be rain for this week, so I had good faith that the pit wouldn't let anything in to cause the fire to go out.

I slept much better than the other night, but woke up with less faith that I would find this bear.

Another day went by, after I kept checking the other sighting areas. I checked every one by nighttime. I pulled out my map from my pack, and took a look at it after I had a fire going.

"There must be something I'm not seeing here." I said. "If he's leading me into other sighting areas, then something isn't right. I'm not finding him where I'm supposed to; I'm going in circles."

Then, I started drawing on the map. I connected the sighting areas together like a connect-the-dots game. It made a circle around the map, although not really that perfect.

"I watch too many conspiracy shows." I muttered. "I really *am* going in circles."

Then I made an giant X in the center of the circle. From what I saw in conspiracy theorists, the areas were a circle, and the source was at the center.

* * *

"This better work." I said the next morning.

I stomped out the fire, and set off, tomahawk in hand.

The X marked an area not a mile away from my campsite. It wouldn't be a place I'd find the bear, but it could suffice for another lead.

If I had a choice, I wouldn't have bothered trying to hunt down this bear. I was really conflicted with the whole thing, but ultimately I didn't feel too invested in it. Why should an animal acting by instinct just die because he messed with the wrong crowd? It shouldn't be him who has to pay. The other side of me wanted to rip it up for everything that it killed.

I stopped suddenly when I heard a noise. A loud growling noise. I immediately dropped to the ground, my heart trying so hard to kick it's way past my ribs and out my chest. I resorted to a slow crawling, drawing out my revolver just in case. I climbed up a large boulder, and looked down into the clearing below.

* * *

The biggest deer I ever hunted was the same height as me when I was young, at about 4'5". This monster looked like it could swallow the deer like a pill. I was amazed I was able to see this thing, standing on all fours at least a good 7 feet. It stood up on it's hinds to swipe at a few nearby trees, and when it did, I tried with all the strength left in my sleep, water, and food deprived soul, not to scream. The teeth it was bearing (absolutely no pun intended) were like white painted ax blades. I had never seen something like this animal before. If I made it out alive, forget the fur and head as trophies. I'd just be thankful for every breath I'd have from here to eternity.

"*sniff sniff*" It started to sniff. As though something wasn't right. Then I realized something that made my blood turn to water just as I almost shit myself: it smelled me.

* * *

"What happened next?!" Cried Barney.

I looked up in surprise. Barney was clutching Robin's hand with a firm grip. It was clear that something was happening, because the Master of Awesome had turned into Private Scaredy Cat. I decided to use this to my advantage.

"I'm not sure Barney. But I think a ten year old scotch would make me remember..." I said.

"GIVE HIM WHAT HE WANTS, LINUS!" He screeched.

Linus jumped up to get my drink as I continued.

* * *

"*sniff sniff*" the Devil kept sniffing around.

"Please, God alive in the goddamn fucking sky!" I begged. "Don't do this to me! Let me live!"

The beast started lumbering over to my way, sniffing the air around.

"Ohshitohshitohshitohshitohshit!" I kept trying hard not to yell it out loud.

"*rawr*"

The bear then looked over at the last second, and lumbered away.

What did I do when he left? I'd like to say that I pulled out my gun and ended my fear for my life by ending his. But instead I ended up crying my eyes out.

"I'm gonna fucking die out here." I sobbed. "And I never even got a chance to live my life. I never got my first beer, my first time spending the night with a girl, and the first time in New York."

All of the sudden, I heard a loud roar pierce the air. Keeping a very great distance between me and the bear, I followed the noise.

I scaled up a tree as I followed to get a better look. What I saw there almost made me fall out of the tree.

The bear had several animals in it's mouth for food, but that's not what surprised me. All this time the hunters were wrong. They thought the bear was a loner, but all this time, the bear was a mother, and she was defending her 2 cubs. The whole reason why the townspeople never saw the bears before now was that these cubs had to be around 6 or 7 months old by their size. The mother had something to lose, now, so she was spending her days scaring us off.

"*GWAAAARRR*"

I almost fell out of the tree at that noise. And it didn't come from the mother bear.

The ground started to shake. An earthquake? No. It was like the water glasses in Jurassic Park. Now I know how those kids in the movie felt as I heard the *boom boom boom*.

I looked across the clearing at a cave entrance. This looked to be the bear's den. And then I realized where the booming was coming from as it came out of the entrance: if there was a mother, where was the father?

* * *

"You did not face off against that bear, Ollie."

"Remember my gunshot wound? There's another set of scars."

"Show me." Said Juno.

I rolled up my sleeve. She didn't notice before the 3 deep grooves in my arm.

"How did you survive this?" She gasped.

"When you have the strongest grip on your will to live, you can survive almost anything."

* * *

The leviathan of a bear lumbered out of the cave, over to his family. He and his wife gave an exchange of growls and snarls. I don't speak bear, and they don't speak English, but I was almost fully able to understand what they were saying. But I needed a better view.

The father growled to the mother, pawing the food she had brought. He roared at her for reasons I didn't understand. The mother suddenly roared right back, and he chomped into her side. I couldn't believe my eyes. I was expecting the mother to roar again, but it didn't happen. She just backed down, whimpering. But not before backing towards her cubs and huddling close to them.

The father grunted and trudged back to the den.

* * *

I was so frightened by what I saw, I jumped down from the tree and started sprinting off. There would be no way I'd be able to kill either of the parents without getting slashed in half by the other. I would have to run back to the hunters and explain the situation to them.

"*GWRAARRR*"

I turned suddenly to see that I had made too much noise. The mother bear had followed me. Luckily it wasn't too close to my own shelter. She couldn't find where I was living.

I drew out an arrow and aimed. The mother approached with a sprint, but then slowed down and started circling around me. I kept my arrow drawn, daring her to make a move.

"I'm not afraid." I claimed. "You can try to scare me off, but I'm here to do a job."

I was lying. I was terrified

The mother bared her teeth, but then collapsed to the ground, groaning.

I was amazed. Here I had my target down on the ground in front of me, on a silver platter. All I had to do was let the arrow loose.

But Lucy's voiced suddenly echoed through my head. Almost as if she was really there.

"Look closer, Ollie. Why is it that she fell?"

I did as she said, and suddenly noticed that there was a lot of blood dripping down her face. It was from the father's teeth marks.

* * *

"I'm not going to purposely hurt you, but this will sting." I said to her.

The mother growled, as if to say "I understand."

Using my knife, I made a makeshift cloth with one of my socks, and applied a small amount of rubbing alcohol to it.

"3...2...1" I said, and I pressed the cloth to her scratches.

She thrashed and wailed, but I kept it firm to her side. After a minute she calmed down and I tied the cloth to her side with some thread.

"I now see what's going on." I murmured. "You're not only hurting us to protect your cubs. You're trying to protect us from your mate. He's more dangerous than you in every way possible. If he was let loose to the town, who knows what kind of chaos would ensue?"

"*Grrr*" the mother replied.

"You didn't bring enough food to last today. So your husband became angry with you."

"*Grrr*"

"You need a closer food source, and shelter. And I know just where to find one."

I got up.

"Stay here. I'll be back with what you need."

* * *

15 minutes later I was shooting several salmon by the river with my bow. The mother could provide for her cubs if she had a better food supply. But the husband wouldn't get a scrap of them. No matter what species anyone is a part of, an abusive relationship between two spouses is bullshit.

I came back to the mother with 6 salmon, 2 for each of her family. I meant her real family.

"Your husband can't get any of this." I said. "Bring your cubs to this place and I will show you where the salmon comes from. All I ask is that you let me help you rid you of your problems."

The mother gave me a look. This I wasn't sure of, but I hoped it meant she would oblige.

* * *

The next day, after a few hours of waiting, she did indeed come back with her cubs. I was still amazed that this was happening. I was feeding bears, and they weren't trying to kill me.

I led the bears to the river, pointing over to the salmon's spawning area.

"It's not perfect, but if you can get the salmon from out of the river, it'll last you a good season or so before winter comes."

The mother gave me a growl of "thanks", and walked into the river to get a few salmon out. She came back and gave them to her cubs.

"Before you go, I want to show you this."

I led her over to the cave where I had set up camp in. The mother growled and snapped at the sight of it, and I understood.

"It's my shelter, but when I'm finished here, I will take my stuff out and you can live here."

The mother growled more, but I understood it was a sign of gratitude.

"But now comes your end of the bargain." I said. "You must let me kill the Devil."

* * *

The mother took her cubs back to their den, while I prepared for the next day. My first hour without sleep, I spent sharpening my arrows to the point where even touching them slightly would cut my fingers. My Dad taught me how to sharpen them so that no animal could take their pain and live.

My second hour without sleep, I spent attaching leaves to my hood, ensuring that the bear wouldn't seem me coming, until it was too late. Camouflage was my best bet in this fight for survival, so I would use it to my advantage.

My third hour without sleep, I used my time wisely in making myself a holster for my gun in case nothing else would work. I couldn't take any chances; even if I failed, the Devil would die.

* * *

The next morning I wrote in my journal one last time.

"If you are reading this, you have found the hunting journal of Oliver Jason Blake of Port Angeles, WA. Employee and co-owner of Blake and Son's Hunting Supplies. It's most likely you'll find my remains at the x in the circle on the map provided. To my parents, my uncle, my aunt, my grandparents, my cousins, and most of all, my beloved cousin Lucy, I let them do with what I had owned as they wish. All I ask is that they bury me overlooking the water to the North. And ensure that the Devil that killed me is sent back to Hell if I didn't do it first. Goodbye."

I left my journal and map on a rock by the river, then set off.

I didn't live the life I wanted to live. But I would die fighting for it. And that's what mattered. I didn't bother running to the fight; The Devil could wait for my soul.

* * *

When I finally got to the clearing, I took the slowest approach possible. I looked down from the rock, and watched from afar.

The father was clawing at the mother again, but this time it was because he was deprived of food, as I learned afterwards. It meant he was weak in some area, so I at least had that going for me.

"Here's to the fucking idiots." I muttered.

"ASSHOLE! OVER HERE!" I cried, flinging an arrow into the air.

The arrow sliced through the air and hit the father right in his head, but somehow it didn't work! It just stuck out of his head like a splinter.

"Oh, fucking shit..." I groaned.

* * *

How fast have you ever run in your life? The fastest I assume you thought you ran was when you were running away from what scared you. When the Devil bear saw me from up above, all the thoughts in my brain shut off and I started to run.

I shot arrow after arrow right on his head, but the four I shot barely slowed him down.

"WHY WON'T YOU JUST DIE?!" I screamed. "LEAVE THESE OTHERS ALONE! THIS IS BETWEEN YOU AND ME!"

The Devil replied by roaring the loudest thing I had ever heard in my life. My ears were ringing like an old car alarm, and I swore the ground shook beneath my feet with every step.

"Insanity is doing the same thing and expecting different results." I recited. I pulled out my revolver and emptied all 6 rounds into the bear.

I was referring to the insanity of shooting several arrows into the bear and expecting them to slow him down. What I should have referred to is the insanity of expecting anything I did to this guy to slow him down. I was starting to get exhausted, while the Devil started to lumber closer and closer.

"I'm sorry, Lucy. I'm sorry if I ever let you down." I murmured.

I closed my eyes as the force of the Devil Bear slammed me backwards into the ground.

"This'll only hurt for a second, Ollie." I said. "You'll see your family soon enough."

But then I saw things. It wasn't my life flashing before my eyes. This was a strange moment. I saw things I never had seen. A girl with a yellow umbrella. A feather, falling slowly through the sky. And a couch with two kids on it, listening to a story.

This wasn't my life I was seeing. I was seeing things yet to come. And they would not happen without me. That's what I was being told!

Time slowed down within that second. My first move I moved my arm in front of my face. I should have felt pain from what I knew had been coming, but it didn't happen. Instead I pulled an arrow out of my quiver, and with every last pinch of strength, I pulled the arrow back.

"Go back to your fiery pit, you horned motherfucker." I cried.

And I shoved that arrow hard into that asshole's forehead..

* * *

I woke to a white light in my eyes. I saw a young girl around my age in a white toga walking over to me. But it didn't look like she was walking. Almost as if she was floating.

"Am I dead?" I asked.

"Not yet, but you will be, soon." She giggled a bit.

"I should just lay here and wait for you to carry me up the stairs."

"If only it were that simple. First, you must do as we ask. Then, you may do as you wish."

"I don't understand. Are you an angel?"

"No. I'm Fate. Now, listen closely. From now on, always listen, and I will guide you..."

* * *

I felt a wet rough cloth wiping my face. I stirred and saw one of the bears looking down on me. It was one of the cubs, licking my face. I looked at my right arm. It was the one that saved my life. When the bear flung me to the ground, I used that arm to keep him from biting my face off. Instead it bit firmly into my arm. I couldn't feel any pain in it, yet I knew that if I didn't get help soon, I would die; I was bleeding heavily.

"It's done." I strained to speak.

"*Grf*" the mother said to me.

"Go to the cave. Don't ever come back to this place. Don't ever disturb my town again, or I'll regret practically losing my arm over this. If you hurt another person in this town, I will find you. Let this be your only warning."

The mother turned, and lumbered away, her two cubs following behind.

I looked at the bear's body, it's jaws still firmly planted in my arm. With my last minutes draining away like grains of sand, I worked as fast as I could, finally ripping free of his grip. I reached in my bag, and pulled my way out: the flare gun.

"Let this be my only hope." I groaned, and I fired it up into the air. The flare soared high above the trees, and I fell to the ground just as I heard a familiar motorized flapping noise.

* * *

"An emergency rescue team had come looking for me on my fourth day, and was waiting for the flare from me." I said. "They found me with almost an eighth of my blood in the grass or on my hood, and the body of the Devil bear lying on the ground next to me. No one could explain why it practically doubled in size in the past few weeks, but one person made the theory that whatever the bear was eating was enough to give it growing strength. When they found me, it turned out the bear had bit me so hard he had broken three bones in my arm, and in the process wedged several of his teeth in there. I was taken into surgery where they were able to get the teeth out of my arm, and after 2 months in the hospital, I was awarded with a medal for services to the town by the mayor. The teeth they got from my arm I kept in a box at home, along with one of the bear's claws which I now wear around my neck the whole time. Not one bit of the beast went to waste. The fur and head now decorate my dad's trophy room at home, and one of it's paws is on display at a local museum. I even remember a local bakery asking for permission to name a pastry after me: Ollie's Bear Claw. When I was finally well enough, I got this tattooed onto my arm." I pointed at my first tattoo: an outlined silhouette of a bear.

"But with the good, came the bad." I continued. "I could barely use my arm for almost 2 years, and even though it's fully healed now, it still gives me pains every once in a while. And even after years of therapy for my small PTSD, I still couldn't shake the severe case of Ursaphobia for the rest of my life. And even the bears saw me differently."

"How so?" Asked Robin.

"I had killed their biggest and baddest. It left me exuding some kind of pheromonal stink like what Barney said with Liddy. I went to the Central Park Zoo once in 2001, and the bears inside tried to maul me when they saw me, even behind their glass cases. Now any bear that sees me will know me as the one that killed their 'king'. I'll never leave behind what happened that day, and neither will they. When a bear sees me, it won't stop until it takes me down. The only exception to this is that mama bear and her two cubs."

"So no ring bears?"

"That's not what I'm saying Barney. What I am saying is that if you have a ring bear at the wedding, it'll just try to maul me. Either I'm there, or the bear's there. Your call."

As people started clearing out as I finished the story, Robin spoke up.

"Those images you saw. Right before you 'died'. What were they?"

I realized in that moment what two of them were. The girl was Juno, and the feather was the one I released yesterday.

"I have no idea. Especially the two kids. I don't know who they are. But I'm positive I'll meet them one day."

* * *

Who were those kids? I'm proud to say that they call me "Uncle Ollie". I remember once that Marshall said their group doesn't extend past the five of them. But it meant so much that the five of them let me and Juno in with open arms.


	9. Chapter 9: Good Ol' Hockey Game

Chapter 9: Good Ol' Hockey Game

**A/N: We all have busy weeks. I'm sorry for not updating.**

"I saw a beaver/ I saw a goose/ riding the railroad with a toque for a moose/ I got together/ with Gord and with Stan/ we sunk a snowmobile/ we though we were on land/ Oh I'm from Can-a-da/ Oh that's my home/ Oh Canada."

Hugh Oliver

The song "Oh Canada" (not the national anthem) (2009)

* * *

Barney still believes that all stereotypes in Canada are real. I wish I could say that they are all wrong, but sadly, there are a few that are true. I'm not Canadian, and I don't plan on being Canadian, but that's just a preference. Who I am is someone who has seen plenty of British Columbia to know it's not as crazy as you think. I'd be willing to say the guys in Texas who I met on my road trip were crazier. But I digress.

Canadians love Molson beer, Tim Horton's donuts, and hockey. All with good reasons: they are awesome. So when Barney asked me for a favor, I just had to say yes.

* * *

April 2013

This was before we met Liddy, so it was before I had the falling out with Barney. He and I agree that if he had thought of this later, the plan wouldn't include me in it.

When Robin shot down Barney's laser tag rehearsal dinner idea, he went straight down to the bar to bring up his plan.

"Canadian themed rehearsal dinner!" He said.

"That may be one of your most awesome ideas ever!" I said.

"Yeah. Only problem is I don't know much about Canada that isn't lame."

"There's plenty. Did you know they discovered insulin?"

"You're kidding."

"Nope. Fredrick Banting himself found the thing that drives all diabetics on a daily basis. I know more about the Great White North past stereotypes."

"Can you tell me more?" Said Barney. He got out a pen and a pad to write this down.

We spent the next twenty minutes writing down a whole list of ideas for Robin's surprise rehearsal dinner. But it wasn't long before Robin texted Barney. She was headed down there.

"Ok, Ollie. Thanks for your help. One more thing!"

"Yeah. Name it!" I replied.

"I hear you're in a band. You play guitar, or something? Can you perform solo for the dinner?"

"Hell yeah." I replied. "Any song in particular?"

"Something Canadian for Robin."

I smiled. I knew just the song to use. "I'll see what I can do."

* * *

While Robin was setting up for the fake rehearsal dinner, Barney and I were headed to the ice rink for the real thing. Barney was discussing to me all the things he planned for this.

"Bro, I got several of Robin's Canadian celebrity friends to attend." He said. "Alan Thicke, Alex Trebek, and-"

Barney told me the last guy, but I suddenly had an idea involving that guy that could be my wedding gift to Robin. I asked Barney.

"Think it could work?" I asked him.

"I'll check with him." Said Barney. "I think he'll happily oblige. It just means he can't say hi to Robin until the reception."

"It'll be worth it to see the look on her face tomorrow night. Challenge Accepted!"

"I have taught you well, Blake."

* * *

When we got into the locker room, Barney handed me two things. A large flat box, and a guitar case.

"That's the costume I need you in on the ice." He said to me.

I opened the box, and laughed. Barney gave me a green plaid flannel shirt, and a denim jacket to go along with it.

"You seriously still believe in stereotypes." I said.

"You know it."

The guitar case had what I had asked for: An acoustic. My older guitar was a Stratocaster electric, which worked fine. But I think that the song I picked to perform needed an acoustic vibe to it.

"You're a great guy for doing this for Robin, Barnacle." I said. "She's lucky to have you."

"Thanks, Ollie."

* * *

When the button was hit by Barney inside the fake office, Robin was there in the cloud of red and white confetti, speechless. We all spent half an hour around the rink, drinking Molson and having fun. Eventually, Barney called me up onto a small stage in the rink.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, Ollie Blake of the Superfreakonomics!"

There was applause as I came up with my acoustic.

"Barney asked me to sing a Canadian song for Robin. It's such a shame that the guy who wrote it passed away only two months ago. So to both Robin, and Stompin' Tom, this one'd for you."

I started a riff that Robin started cheering at, along with some of her relatives.

"Hello out there/ we're on the air/ it's hockey night tonight/ tension grows/ the whistle blows/ and the puck goes down the ice/ the goalie jumps/ and the players bump/ and the fans all go insane/ someone roars/ "Bobby Scores!"/ and the good ol hockey game."

"OH! The good ol hockey game/ it's the best game you can name/ and the best game you can name/ it's the good ol hockey game."

I adjusted my ear microphone as I stepped onto the ice and started skating out.

"*2nd period.* Where players dance/ with skates aflash/ and the home team trails behind/ but they grab that puck/ and go bursting up/ and their down across the line/ they storm the crease/ like bumblebees/ and they travel like a burning flame/ they see them slide/ the puck inside/ it's a one-one hockey game."

The chorus sang out again. This time, I wasn't alone in singing. A few people memorized the chorus to sing along. As well, Robin and her family knew the lyrics like pros, and were all singing along.

"*3rd period. Last game of the playoffs, too.* Oh take me where/ those hockey players/ face off down the rink/ and the Stanley Cup/ is all filled up for the champs who win the drink/ now the final flick/ of a hockey stick/ and there's one gigantic scream/ the puck is in!/ the home team wins!/ and the good ol hockey game."

"*EVERYBODY!* Oh, the good ol hockey game/ it's the best game you can name/ and the best game you can name/ it's the good ol hockey game *ONE MORE TIME!* Oh, the good ol hockey game/ it's the best game you can name/ and the best game you can name/ it's the good ol hockey game."

I finished with the riff, and then skated over to Robin and Barney with the crowd cheering me on. I waved to the crowd.

"Check me and my band, the Superfreakonomics tomorrow night! THANK YOU AND GOOD NIGHT!"

"Is that your wedding gift to us?" Asked Robin. "A cover of Good Ol' Hockey Game?"

"Hah! You wish. Trust me, Sherbatsky, I got something for you tomorrow that will blow your mind whole."

"I hope so. Ted said something about you getting punched earlier. Is that why you have a bruise on your face?"

"What bruise?"

Barney whipped out his phone and took a quick picture of me.

"That, bro." He said. "It hadn't formed until just a few minutes ago."

It may not have looked that bad, but when I saw that photo, it looked like my entire cheek was a lump of coal. Santa could use my face to punish naughty kids.

"It looks better from where we're standing, Ollie." Said Robin, trying to comfort me.

Barney's phone buzzed. He checked it, then looked over. "Uh, Ollie? There's more beer here. Can you go get it?"

This was the code to say that my gift to Robin for tomorrow was here. I skated off the rink and into the locker room. "I'll see you guys in a bit."

The guy I was talking about was there, waiting for me.

"Hi. Are you Ollie?"

"Yes. Good to meet you, sir." I said.

"The pleasure is all mine. Caught your cover of Stompin Tom. You are really good with that six string. Aren't you in the band that's playing tomorrow?"

"Indeed. That's why I need your help. Barney told me that Robin loved your music growing up when she was in Canada. I think you should be a guest singer for the wedding as a surprise for her."

"Didn't Robin say that Lenny Kravitz was her favorite?"

"I heard she loved your songs, too." I said. "I think you're awesome, too."

"Well, I'll be glad to be there for Robin Sparkles' wedding. Just make sure the band is okay with me jumping in for a few songs."

"No problem. I'll make sure they are."

"And I expect you to have the special song that you asked me to play good for your guitar."

"You got it."

He got up, and started to walk away.

"I'll see you tomorrow Ollie."

I headed back onto the ice with the case of beer. To avoid suspicion, Barney really did get the guy to drop off another case of beer so that Robin wasn't the least bit concerned with what I was doing.

This was the start of a series of events that became a look up for things. In less that an hour, I would fight the Devil, and finally beat him.


	10. Chapter 10: Full Measure

Chapter 10: Full Measure

**A/N: Another gap in updating. Again, sorry. But in this one, we see how Ollie gave Darren what he deserved.**

"Moral of the story: I chose a half measure, when I should've taken a full measure. No more half measures, Walter."

Mike Ehrmantraut

Breaking Bad

"Half Measures 3x12 (2010)

* * *

After the rehearsal dinner, I called Juno. But she wasn't answering. I was getting worried as I headed back to the inn. By that time it was 10 PM. I was in the bar finishing off the Molson I was given from the rehearsal dinner.

"Where's Juno?" I said out loud to myself. I said it too loud, because Darren swooped in and tried to "comfort me".

"I tried to stop her, Ollie. But she just couldn't be around you anymore. She hates you that much."

I scowled at him. "Cut the bullshit, Darren." I snapped. "Juno'd never do that. Also, you don't get to call me 'Ollie', so fuck off."

"Enough with the trash talk, Ollie." He said. He looked me straight in the eye with fire in his eyes. And these weren't his usual devious eyes of fire. This state was like looking down the barrel of a loaded flamethrower.

"Never forget that I'm your boss, and I can have your ass cut from this band with just a single word. I've had it with your disrespect towards me. When this gig finishes, you and Juno are done."He ran off to start another fire.

Juno and I were both fucked, and we knew it. Nothing to do besides sit and wait for Darren to cut us off. But where was she? Then I remembered someone who may know where she was.

"Lily," I said when I found her in the lobby. "You know where Juno is?" I asked.

Lily smiled. "Yeah. She stole your lead singer's van and drove off after I suggested it."

"No shit? Aldrin Justice! Way to go for her! I knew she had it in her to stand up to that asshole." But my happiness was cut short with a sudden realization: "If she doesn't come back, we got a problem. All members need to be present and accounted for when we have the sound check and warmup tomorrow morning."

I headed out to the driveway to wait for Juno if she came back, surprised to see I wasn't alone.

"HELLO!" He bellowed. It was Ranjit. "Nice to see you here, Ranjit." I said. "What are you doing out here when the party is in full swing in there, Oliver?"

"Please, Ranjit. I insist you call me Ollie. My friend's stolen the band's van and took off. I'm waiting here in case she gets back. What are you doing out here?"

"Putting the final touches on the display on the limo for tomorrow. What do you think?"

When I looked at the display, the first thing that popped into my head was that this clearly wasn't this guy's first wedding. The display was put together with excellent precision and dedication. A "Just Married" sign was mounted on the back like any other wedding stereotype.

"All right, man." I sat down on the curb behind the limo while Ranjit kept working on the display.

"Ranjit, what's your angle on destiny?" I then asked.

He looked over in surprise. Maybe that a stranger to him was asking this question. "Well, I'm a Hindu, so my firm belief is more on what you in America have now dubbed to be called 'karma'. Fate isn't something I really think of."

Karma was sort of my secondary belief next to fate. "Well, I think I see fate is coming up soon."

"What do you mean?"

"That friend of mine? The one that's missing? She's meant to marry Ted."

Ranjit looked at me as though I just said the "grinch" word. Then he said something in one of his languages that I could only assume was probably a cuss word.

"No, I'm serious. Fate's been pushing Ted towards her, and I now realize that I should've tried to get them together a long time ago."

"Why don't you tell Ted or her?"

"C'mon. You don't entirely believe me. Why should they?" As I finished the question, a large white van pulled up. Juno got out, along with the lovable giant that I hadn't seen for a week.

"Marshall! You made it, bro! And I see you met Juno."

Marshall looked over in a sort of happy surprise. "You two are friends?"

"Oh, more than that, Marshall." She said. "We're practically siblings."

"Figuratively." I added. Then I saw someone I hadn't met at all in the past year that he'd been in this world. "Oh my god, is that the Martian?" I asked.

Marshall looked confused, then laughed. "It is indeed Marvin. You want to finally meet him?" I nodded and came over.

Juno grinned. "He sure is something, Marshall. But I think he needs a hat. I'll be right back." She went off inside.

"Hey there, little guy. I'm Ollie. I may not see you often, but I'm hoping that we're gonna be great friends like me and your dad." Marvin smiled at me. It was the best thing I had ever seen that weekend so far.

"How's Lily doing?" asked Marshall.

"It's bad, Your Honor." I replied. "I'd be going in there expecting her to be ready to kick you in the nuts."

Marshall breathed, then headed in. I followed, heading towards the bar. Juno was there, getting a drink from Linus.

"You doing okay?" I asked.

"There's no beating the Devil, Ollie." She replied. "We always think Karma's gonna get them. But I guess in real life, we just don't get that knockout punch."

I sighed. "Damn...Darren's firing our asses anytime soon."

And speak of the Devil (no pun intended) he then walked up to the bar. "Can I get some ice? The best man punched me in the face for no reason."

Both me and Juno laughed while I flipped him the bird.

"Oh, that's real mature! You think that's funny?! I quit. You two idiots can have your stupid band back! I miss being in a band where everyone is decent, and there's no drama! I'm going back to the new Guns n' Roses!"

Holy shit. Ted managed to save our asses without even trying. Juno was thinking the same thing I was, because she then had Linus give Ted a fine scotch on her. But deep down, as Darren walked away, I realized something. It wasn't enough.

"Here's how you should fire people." I said to Juno.

"Hey! Darren!" I called over. I stood up as he came back.

"You apologizing for the finger?"

"Nope!" I replied.

* * *

No more half measures. It was time for me to act instead of talk. Darren needed everything that karma had coming to him, and I was just the guy to hand it to him. No more letting that asshole walk over me and Juno. This was yet another defining moment in my life, and I remember every detail of it.

It started with me grabbing Darren by the shoulders, and gripping them tight. I crouched down a bit, and my right foot swung backwards like a golf club readying a shot. Then it came back around, and nailed Darren right in his nuts. He yelled in pain, and Juno stared over with a look of both horror and humor in her eyes. As Darren dropped down in pain, I walked back to the bar.

"Shot of whiskey, Linus!" I called. He handed it to me, I took it, then cheered.

"Whoooo! Fuck you, Diablo! Go back to your fiery chasm, bastard! YEAH!"

* * *

When something good happens, something bad usually needs to occur to balance the scales. I got that a few minutes later. It was a series of text messages from the other band members. Other than me and Juno, the band was full of no one but Darren and his cronies. Now I understood that with Darren gone, his henchmen were all losing their courage to play with us. They were afraid without him. Within the next 15 minutes of Darren quitting, all of his buddies followed. Now only me and Juno remained as the band. This wasn't good.


	11. Chapter 11: Zipped Lip

Chapter 11: Zipped Lip

"No one can know my secret."

Oliver Queen

Arrow "Pilot" 1x01 (2012)

* * *

That night I was out on the beach, drinking a six pack of Wharmpess. The water looked clear, and calm against the starry sky. Fate was a bitch. She showed me images I didn't understand at first. I kept thinking about those visions I saw when I faced off against the bear. The umbrella girl was clearly Juno. The feather was what happened yesterday. But those two kids on that couch was the most confusing thing I ever saw. Were they my future kids? I still didn't understand.

"Lonely minds drink alike."

I looked over to see Juno. Her eyes were red, and I saw her holding something I never saw her with: a ukelele.

"Here." I said, tossing her one as she sat down in the sand with me.

"I kept secrets from you, Ollie." Said Juno.

"What happened? You're here, at the inn. You're not with Louis?"

"No. He proposed to me. I turned him down." She started to cry.

I pulled my hoodie off and wrapped her with it. It was clear she needed a shoulder to cry on.

"Things don't click when they don't fit." I said. "It wasn't meant to be."

Juno shook her head. "It's more than that." She clutched the ukelele tight. "I never told you about Max, Ollie."

"Max? Who's he?"

"My Lucy." She replied.

* * *

For the almost ten years I knew Juno, I never knew about Max. It was something she never thought I could understand. He was the only one other than me who understood her better than anyone. But then again, this guy had Juno as his girlfriend.

"What was he like?" I asked.

"I should've introduced you to him, Ollie. You two would've been like brothers."

He was the one who loved her music. The one who listened to her when most people blew her off and didn't give a shit about her. The One for her when she was that age.

"It was that night at the first Maclaren's Pub that you worked at in 2005. I was celebrating my 21st birthday."

"I remember that party! But you told me you were turning 23!" I laughed. "So technically you shouldn't have met me when we first did. You were 19 at the time!"

"But it was all for fate, right?"

"Yeah. I'll never trade that meeting for following the rules."

Juno then looked serious again. "I got a call from the hospital that night. He got in a car accident, and...and..."

"Sh, sh, sh." I murmured. "I'm here for you, J."

Juno started crying more into my shirt. I felt bad that I never knew about this. I could've been there for Juno if I had only paid more attention and knew when she needed me.

"I would've told you sometime, Ollie. But I never could find the right time. You're the one guy in my life who's never left me or worse."

"We're more alike than ever, J." I realized. "We both lost the one person we loved most in this world, and it practically destroyed us."

Juno looked up and me, closed her eyes, and laid her lips smack onto mine.

* * *

After realizing that Ted was the one Juno should've married, this felt wrong. But more of another reason, I realized that I didn't like this. I pulled away sharply.

"Don't do this, J." I replied. "I'm not your type."

She smiled a bit. "You really are my brother from another mother. Most guys would let me kiss them, but you value our friendship more."

"No, Juno. It's not that. I love you, but like a brother. It's always been that way, and it's always gonna be that way."

"I know. I love you, too."

"Tell me about Max. What was he like?" I asked.

"I don't know, Ollie. It's hard for me."

"Juno, I kept my end of the bargain when I told you about Lucy. It's your turn."

* * *

Juno told me a lot about Max. He also played guitar like I did, and treated Juno the way Louis should have. He loved her more than anyone else in this world. I knew that if I ever met him, we truly would've been the closest friends ever. But I didn't blame Juno for not introducing him. The time just never seemed right, like she said. As she finished, she started to choke up again.

"Why do we fall, Juno?" I asked.

Juno looked over at me with confusion. "Gravity?"

I smiled. "So that we can learn to pick ourselves up."

She gave me a look of understanding. I was quoting one of our favorite movies. "You still haven't given up on me?"

"Never."

We both talked a lot about what to do now that the band was beyond obliterated.

"I'll make some calls in the morning and see if Joe, Mandy and the others can't get out here."

"Damn straight." I replied. "We need them."

"Not just cause they're the band, right?"

I shook my head. "I hated playing on stage with those sheep and their horned shepherd. They had no idea what they were doing even thought they thought they did."

Juno smiled, but then fell face first in the sand. She had fallen asleep. I smiled a bit, then rolled her onto her back, putting my hoodie under her head for a pillow.

"J's had a long day. Gnight, girl."

* * *

I sat beside her for the next while, keeping watch and thinking hard. How much would things change this weekend? I had no idea, but that's always part of the fun. Trying to find out how things change.

I needed to head back up to my room. I needed a pillow or something.

I leaned down to Juno's ear. "I'll be right back." And I ran off.

I got back up to the hotel, and into my room, grabbing the pillow. I was about to head back down, but I saw Lily suddenly run past me.

"What's Red up to?" I wondered.

I followed close behind. Lily made a quick phone call by the desk, not giving me so much of a glance. I guess whatever fight she and Marshall got into, she was distraught enough to run.

"Will you pick me up? Great!" She said to the person on the other end. She ran out to wait for her ride.

I needed to see what was going on. Curtis was working the front desk.

"Curtis, I need a cab, and fast as you can."

"Certainly." He replied. "There's already one waiting outside. He'll take you where you need to go."

"Thanks."

While Lily waited for her ride, I waited for my chance. As soon as the car rolled up, and she jumped in, I sprinted out and into the cab.

"Driver, follow that car."

"You got it."

* * *

Lily's car drove for a few minutes before turning off towards a corner drug store. She got out and ran in. This was my chance. I tossed the money to the driver.

"Don't leave just yet. I need a minute."

"Whatever you say, Mac." He replied.

I hurried in after Lily. As soon as I saw her grab the box off the shelf, I smiled.

"Boy or girl?"

Lily looked up in shock. As soon as she realized it was me, she calmed down a little, but still was visibly upset: I had just discovered her secret.

"I won't tell anyone as long as you tell me if it's a boy or a girl."

Lily twirled the box between her hands. "I really don't know if I'm pregnant or not, but if I am, I think it's a girl."

"Excellent." I replied. "Marvin needs a sister. Just like I had Lucy."

"So can I count on you to keep this under wraps for a while, Ollie?"

I gave the zipper over my mouth. Lily grinned.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Lily." I said, heading off outside. I got back into the cab.

"Where to, Mac?" He asked.

I paused, then sighed. "Back to the inn."

* * *

Well, another pregnancy added to the list of ways this weekend changed things up. I was kind of glad I was leaving for half of the summer; it would give me the chance to process all of the changes. But the real question after I would return from my trip would be the two words we all ask ourselves, but we hate thinking about: "What now?"

* * *

When I got back to the beach with the pillow, Juno was stirring. I tossed it to her as I sat down.

Juno and I weren't really thinking about the shit creek we were going up. We just lost the paddle when all of Darren's goons quit. But it's good to focus on that stuff when it matters most. Now we had to see if we could get Joe and the others to return and get here by this afternoon.

Juno started playing her ukelele, and once she started singing, I looked up.

"Give your heart and soul to me/ and life will always be.../ La Vie En Rose."

As she finished up, I smiled. "That was beautiful, J. But I want you to know something: whatever happens today, I'm positive that things will change forever."

As I said this, the sun started to peek over the water.

"Destiny." She murmured. "Things really are gonna change today. Sometime today, things will change."

"You said it. It's one more day."

* * *

**A/N: A friend who reads this wanted Ollie to confess to Juno that he loved her in this chapter. Personally, I don't think that's anything in character and not at all what I'm writing for. Don't think that there was any chance that it could happen, because it's not going to.**


	12. Author's Note (Finale Spoiler Alert)

A friend did something like this, so I feel like I should, too. Don't read until you've seen the finale.

I say again. _**DON'T READ IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN THE FINALE! SPOILER**** ALERT!**_

Betrayed. That's all I think I can feel right now. I was betrayed. I had high hopes to have a finale that I could really follow through on a be happy with. Unfortunately, I got the exact opposite of that. I actually had a fantastic time with the finale, until the last five minutes. Tracy (The Mother), who is a huge part of Ollie's Story passed away, and we found out that Ted used the entire story as an excuse to see if his kids were okay with him dating Robin. If I was them, I would not want that to happen, knowing how hung up he had been on her in the past. Ted shows not much respect for Tracy by being this kind of person. When I saw that scene in "The Time Travelers" where he imagined walking up to her door to tell her how much he loved her, that made me suspicious that she was dead. However, last night's episode made that speech feel meaningless and cheap. If Tracy truly was the One for Ted, I think that going back to Robin would only be regressing back into his old ways.

* * *

So why am I doing this? Why did I write about this? Maybe I feel that this is as any a good place to bitch, and I need this, but there's a larger part of this.

* * *

Right from the start I had a plan with Ollie's Story. Being best friends with Tracy, (or Juno to those who have read my stuff from the start. What's up?) Ollie provided Ted with another connection to her, and in the process sort of became a sixth member of the gang. With last night's finale being depressing and wrong, I now know that I have no choice but to continue with Ollie's Story as if the events played out differently.

* * *

What I do know, based on Ollie's history, is that if Tracy really would die in his story, he would feel responsible in some way because of Lucy dying, and would probably fall back into the pit of drinking, even with help from his own "One". Tracy dying in Ollie's story would be a cruel fate that I don't think he would deserve so that's not going to play out.

* * *

What I can say will play out is that there will be some references to the "legit" finale. (I keep hoping for it to be an April Fool's prank.) I won't tell you how I will make references, but hopefully, you will catch them. Ollie's Story will play out exactly the way I intended from the start, and I promise that unlike the writers, I will make the ending the way it should have ended. I hope that you'll understand, and keep reading knowing that because I feel that the finale was complete shit, Ollie's Story from here on out will start to drift away from the original story, and slowly but surely become an AU. Thanks for your time, and be on the lookout for my next chapters.

* * *

NanoBlade


	13. Chapter 12: Freakonomics

**A/N: It's nice to know that I'm not alone in being pissed off about the finale. I saw one reviewer just today showing full support for me making my own ending. Classic Schmosby! So now that I know that I can go on to do better things than that crap finale, I will give a shout out to that reviewer. Ted Schmosby, this one's for you!**

Chapter 12: Freakonomics

"A good friend knows all your stories. A best friend lived them with you."

Anonymous

* * *

Darren didn't need to do much to get rid of Joe and the others. There just was a lot of hidden tension between us. A giant box of explosives, if you will. All it needed was Darren to light the fuse, which didn't take much effort. It was my job and Juno's to find every member of the band, and get them out here by high noon.

I called Mandy, while Juno called Joe. We hadn't spoke for so long, so I hoped her phone number still worked.

"Hello?"

"Mandy? It's Ollie."

"Ollie? Oh my god! It's been so long!"

"No kidding. Listen, I was wondering if you could help me out."

"I'll do what I can. What do you need?"

"I want to see if you want back into the band."

There was a pause. "Why?"

"Because the entire band is shattered. A lot of shit happened since you left."

"Really? Why should I come to your aid? Why are you even asking me this, since you weren't in the band? Did they replace me with you?"

"Mandy, that's beside the point. I'm going to make this perfectly clear: This gig is one of the most important gigs in our career. But there isn't any way in hell that the band can operate with only a bassist and a guitarist. I need you for rhythm guitar."

"Not going to happen if Joe's still there."

"What makes you so mad at him? What did he do?"

"He called me a grinch."

Instead of gasping, like any rational person should, I laughed. "Darren, you maniacal son of a bitch." I said out loud. Then I spoke to Mandy. "What do you remember about that situation?"

"I remember Darren talking to me and-"

"Exactly. DARREN told you that."

"Yes he did...Oh! OH!"

"Exactly, Mandy. Do you know what he was doing? He wanted you out so he could replace you with his buddy. But Juno managed to get me in to replace you instead to throw a wrench in his plans. I'm not saying coming here lets you take my job completely, but we need another guitarist. Darren quit yesterday, and with him almost the whole band."

"I don't understand why that would happen."

"Get to Farhampton Inn out on Long Island by 12 PM and we'll fill you in. It's only for tonight."

"Uh...okay I'll try to make it. With any luck I can take the train out."

"See you in a few."

"Bye."

I hung up as Juno finished her call.

"Well?"

"Joe's glad to have Darren gone. He'll call up the others and have them here by 12 or 1."

"Cutting it close." I said. "We'll just have to make do with that."

* * *

By 12 PM, every one of us were ready for the sound check. Everything was in working order, so Juno called a band meeting.

"Guys, I'm going to be as honest as I can." She said. "Darren managed to tear us up so much because of a stupid leadership struggle. I don't think that leadership should be a concern. In fact, managing a band like this sucks. What's the fate of this band after this gig?"

I was surprised. Were we splitting up after this?

Joe shook his head. "I sucked as leader, Juno. I think that you deserve the mantle. Any objections?"

Everyone shook their heads. Juno was stunned.

"Well...as leader of the Freakonomics, I think that maybe we should look at moving on after this."

I placed my hand on her shoulder. "Objection." I said. "We had struggles, sure. But they were because of Darren. That devil is gone, so there doesn't seem to be a reason to stop."

"What is there left after this, Ollie?"

"New York still needs it's music. Let's get through this one gig at a time."

Juno paused, then nodded. "If you say so, Ollie."

We started finishing up with the setup, then went through a long rehearsal with Barney's requested songs. It was 3 PM by the time we took a break. 3 hours remained to the wedding.

Juno sat down at the edge of the stage, tuning her bass.

Before I went over, Joe stopped me.

"I didn't see you long in this band, Ollie before Darren got me removed. But I know that you were what we needed to get this band back together. Because you're more than Juno's friend. You're my own friend. When I heard Darren was gone, I got everyone to come out knowing that you'd need us. Friends do what they can to be there for them. Never forget that, because if there's any one life lesson, it's this: never ever leave your best friends behind."

He started to walk away, but came right back.

"Don't forget to make several kick ass guitar solos."

I laughed. "You know it."

I sat down beside Juno as she finished tuning her bass.

"You're going to be okay, Juno. Destiny today."

She looked confused. "Who's Juno?"

In my years of knowing Juno, she's never played a joke like this. She's had a good sense of humor, but never faked amnesia. "Uh, that's you."

"My name's not Juno, Ollie. All my life I know that I've been named Tracy McConnell."

She smiled at me as I laughed.

"You kept me waiting long enough, J."

We hugged as I grabbed her tuner and started on my own guitar.

"What changed your mind, Tracy?"

"Not sure. I just think that you've waited long enough."

She paused, looking around.

"You waiting for something, Juno?" I decided the nickname still suited her, so I would keep calling her that. But it would also be hard to break the habit.

Tracy sighed. "I thought that giving you my real name would mean the universe would do something to get me out of this pit I fell into in the last 18 hours. I had a great guy, and I left him."

I shook my head. "J, Louis threatened me. Did I ever tell you that?"

Tracy looked surprised. "He did what, now?"

"That day I met him. When you left the apartment for a few minutes he pinned my hand behind my back and told me to back off. He saw me as competition for your heart."

Tracy scowled. "Ollie, you do have my heart. Because you're my brother."

I nodded, laughing a bit. "Brother from another mother."

Lily walked in right there.

"Can I help you, lady?" Said Joe.

"Yeah." She replied. "I'm the Maid of Honor, and I need to borrow the lead guitarist."

Joe shook his head. "We need everyone for the short time we have to the reception for more practice."

I knew exactly what Lily would say to retort. And she indeed said it: "it's for the bride."

Joel's eyes widened. "Alright, then. Ollie, the bride needs you."

I got up, setting my guitar down. "Can you tune it for when I get back, Juno?"

Tracy nodded. "You know it."

* * *

Lily led me out of the reception tent, and to the chapel's upstairs rooms.

"Is this really for the bride?"

"Something's going on. We tried everything, Blake. Robin needs you."

Lily knocked on the door. "Ollie's here, Robin."

"Great, send him in."

I opened the door, and saw Robin in her bridal gown.

"Damn, Scherbatsky. Looking good!" I said.

Robin smiled a bit, sitting down. "I need your help, Ollie."

"Sure. What's up?"

"I can't go through with this wedding!"


End file.
